


Thick & Thin

by Destielixer



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Biting, Blow Jobs, Bottom Ian Gallagher, Bottom Mickey Milkovich, Boys Kissing, Closet Sex, College, Dirty Talk, Domestic Fluff, Drinking, Drunk Sex, Fingerfucking, Fluff, In Public, Jealous Mickey Milkovich, M/M, Marks, Masturbation, Masturbation in Shower, Mutual Pining, Phone Sex, Pining, Play Fighting, Possessive Behavior, Possessive Sex, Power Play, Prom, Protective Mickey Milkovich, Public Sex, Quickies, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rimming, Rough Sex, Roughness, Slow Dancing, Smoking, Spanking, Top Ian Gallagher, Top Mickey Milkovich, Touching, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-06
Updated: 2014-11-25
Packaged: 2018-02-17 08:54:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 50,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2303933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destielixer/pseuds/Destielixer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mickey and Ian meet in college for the first time. Though they live in the same neighborhood and all that, they never actually meet until they become roommates and learn about each other. Eventually they fall in love but how many times can their relationship be broken and put back together? Will it eventually be too much for them?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

His first day at college and he’d already gotten beaten up by the gangster kids, he hurt all over and his lip was bleeding. Ian was sure that he’d broken a rib or something. Fuck. He hadn’t even been doing shit at all. Yeah he was holding a huge fucking box walking around, how the fuck was he to know that some other guy was there? He could barely see around the box.

He took the stairs slowly, keeping to the railing in case anything happened. Thankfully his room was only on the second floor or he would have died climbing up the stairs. Panting Ian rested at the landing, fishing out the paper that directed him to his dorm 217.

His roommate was a boy by the name of Mickey Milkovich. Sounded decent enough. Maybe studious even but who knew. As he kicked the door open with his foot he heard rock music playing and the room smelt of smoke. Fuck. He thought as he peeked out from behind the box.

OH FUCK.

“You, carrot top,” the dark haired boy said as he blew out a puff of smoke, “the fuck you doing here? One beating not enough for you?”

“This is my room you shit head,” he answered as he put his box down on the empty bed across the room.

The boy whistled, looking his competition up and down, “I gotcha good didn’t I? It’ll teach you not to walk in my path,” he said.

“Fuck you,” Ian muttered as he unpacked his things, “How the fuck you expect me to see around this huge pile of shit?” 

“Not my problem, you walk in my path I kick you to the curb. Don’t mess with me,” he said, a threat.

“Whatever,” Ian said he didn’t need to deal with shit like him. He opened the window wide, making it known he hated that he smoked.

The dark haired boy merely raised his brow and continued smoking as if he weren’t present. Ian packed away his stuff and then folded up the cardboard box. All the while he was aware of the delinquent watching him.

“Rule one, you can’t cross the line in this room. You keep your stuff to your half and I keep to my half, y’hear?”

“What about the toilet huh? I got my stuff in there it’s on your side,” Ian answered as he sat on the bed across the other boy.

“Toilet’s outta the question carrot top,” he said as he leant back against the wall, “be glad I don’t make you use the communal one.”

“Don’t expect me to thank you Mickey,” Ian replied.

“The fuck you calling me Mickey huh?” he asked.

“Not your name fuck face?” Ian challenged.

“Fuck you,” the boy growled and throwing the cigarette away he launched himself at him, tackling him down in bed. He was strong and his punches hit home. Ian fought back, punching him as well and when he got a clean break he kneed him and sent the black haired boy curling in on himself as he caught his breath. “Fuck…” he rasped as he rolled off him, sitting on the floor. Ian lay back on his bed, coughing as he swiped the blood from his lip.

The black haired boy leant back against his bed, head tilted up, eyes closed. He stuck out his hand, “Mickey Milkovich you fucking carrot top,” he said as a form of introduction.

Ian laughed shaking his head and then reached a hand over, cringing slightly as he moved, his body still hurting, “Ian Gallagher, fuck face,” he rasped.

“Least you ain’t the fag I thought you to be,” Mickey muttered as he opened his eyes, those were just as dark as his hair.

Ian gave him a wry smile, “Fags can fight too fuck face, I joined the J-ROTC. I know how to shoot a gun.”

“Just because you learnt how to shoot a gun don’t mean you know how to shoot properly,” Mickey said.

“You challenging me?” Ian asked as he shifted to the edge of the bed and staggered to his feet going to the bathroom to assess his damage.

“Yeah, they got a shooting range here. Real guns, real bullets. You game?”

“You can’t just go in there and start shooting around,” Ian said as he looked at himself in the mirror, the already forming bruise on his chin and around his eye was beginning to hurt.

“Don’t be a pussy,” Mickey said as he came up behind him roughly grabbed his waist and ground himself against his ass. Ian swallowed, a shudder coursing through him at the delinquent’s contact.

“What the fuck Mickey,” he muttered storming past the dark haired boy as he flopped in bed, “I’m not going to get in trouble with you okay? So just go away,” he said turning on his side, back to the other. Fuck he was already getting hard down there. Oh god.

“Fine, you better leave the window open tonight so I can climb in ya hear?” Mickey said and tossed a pillow at him as if that was going to make him listen, he thought. 

“Whatever,” Ian said hiding his face in the pillow as he heard Mickey leaving the room. 

Ian heaved a sigh when the room was empty and then thought about other things before he could get a full-blown boner. It was kinda messed up really, getting aroused by the stupid delinquent that had beaten him up. Oh god, what was his body even thinking. He shook his head, threw the pillow back to Mickey’s bed and then shut his eyes breathing deeply, he wouldn’t do it, he wouldn’t touch himself.

* * *

First night on campus and Mickey was glad that he’d gotten a second floor room; this meant he could sneak in and out at any given time. Fuck the school rules and fuck the curfews. He climbed the tree, hands and feet nimbly pulling himself up onto the branches and then he realised that the window was closed.

“Fucking carrot top,” he muttered under his breath as he gingerly shifted across the thick branch trying to open the window. “Fuck!” he swore when the window didn’t budge. “Ian!” he said as he banged on the window with his fist. He could see the redhead curled up in bed, whether he was sleeping or faking it he didn’t know. “Ian fucking Gallagher!” he hissed banging harder on the window he saw the figure move, rolling out of bed and then he came over to the window.

Bleary eyed and still sleepy Ian looked at him from the other side of the glass, “Open the goddamn window Ian,” Mickey growled as he jiggled the locked window, “I told you to leave it open already for fuck’s sake.”

“Troublesome,” he heard Ian mutter and then he saw the other boy turn away and climb back into bed.

“What the fuck! Ian!!” he called a little louder this time as his fist banged the window. “Open the goddamn window and let me in!”

“No…” he heard the redhead call from his bed, “serves you right for coming back late fuck face. You can spend the night in the tree.” 

“Fuck you!” Mickey growled as he rattled the window even more in anger.

“I suggest you don’t make too much noise now, wouldn’t want the guards finding out that you missed curfew,” Ian said and then pulled the covers over his head.

“Bloody fucking hell,” Mickey sighed he might as well spend the night in the tree then, seeing as Ian was going to be uncooperative. He crawled back down the branch and settled into a nook; pulling his coat tighter around him he folded his arms across his chest and closed his eyes. Ian would get his punishment tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

Something cold and wet dripped on his face and Mickey opened his eyes, vision bleary he found himself sleeping in a tree. He swiped a gloved hand over his face, cleaning off the morning dew. The campus below was already buzzing to life. Slowly he stretched, his body stiff from sleeping in the same position in a goddamn tree. That was when he realised that the window to his dorm room was open and there was a cup of steaming something sitting on the sill.

Did Ian make that? He thought as he cautiously made his way across the branch to the windowsill. He took the warm cup in his hands and brought it to his lips. Hot chocolate, he smiled at the taste as it coursed down his throat flooding his body with warmth. Mickey finished the rest of the cup within seconds and then climbed back into the room.

“Yo, Ian!” he called as he shrugged out of his jacket.

There was no reply. The redhead’s bed was already made. Mickey checked the bathroom, no sign of Ian there either. Shit. He’d gone to classes that early? Ugh. Fuck him. Mickey washed out the cup of hot chocolate, took a quick shower and then changed into his clothes and left for his classes. He didn’t care if Ian made him hot chocolate as a means of an apology, that boy was going to get slushied and all Mickey needed to do was to find him. 

Mickey made his way down to the admin block and entered the office, “Ian Gallagher,” he said drumming his fingers on the counter top, “I uh lost my schedule so could you help me print out another?” he asked. The lady tsked and then she stood and left, awhile later she came back with a slip of paper.

“You better keep that properly Gallagher,” she reprimanded and just like that he’d gained access to the redhead’s schedule.

Next he made his way down to the canteen grabbed a slushie then he pulled out the schedule. Ian should be right on his way to the first class of the day. Well no time like the present to deliver his punishment. Mickey cruised through the halls and easily enough he found the redhead.

“’Sup carrot top?” he greeted and then without further ado, dumped the ice cold drink on him. “That was for closing the window on me last night.”

Ian never saw it coming until it hit him. Cold. Icy and dripping wet, he swiped the sweet drink off his face, licking his lips. Grape flavoured. If it weren’t on him he would have gladly drank the slushie. He blinked, seeing his roommate standing in front of him, laughing at his state. Ian set his jaw, flicked the remnants of ice off of him and then turned on his heel and marched down the hall to the gents.

“Where you going carrot top?” he heard Mickey calling down the hallway.

Ian didn’t even bother to answer he just gave the other boy a double flip off and kicked the door to the gents open. Once there he shrugged out of his jacket. Thank god for that, at least now his tank top would still be all right. Next he cleaned off the sticky sweet drink from his jeans. He would probably smell like grapes for the rest of the day. Well done, it was only the first day and he had racked up such  _wonderful_  popularity scores.

As he was wetting another wad of tissue he caught sight of his watch and cursed. He was going to be late to the first class of the term. Fuck! Quickly he wrung out the soaking wet jacket, disposed of the copious amounts of tissue he’d used to clean off his jeans and then bolted from the gents. He ran down the hallways and right into class where the teacher was just about to pick up a chalk to write on the board.

“Mr Gallagher I expect?” she said raising a brow. She was definitely one of those fierce kinds.

“I-uh…yeah…” he said nodded his head as he adjusted his bag.

“Late,” she snapped giving him a once over as she narrowed her eyes.

“I got held up in the bath, sorta…” Ian explained from out of the corner of his eye he caught Mickey snickering at his dire state. That fucker. What the fuck was his problem?

“Looks to me like you could have used more water. You smell like grapes Mr Gallagher,” she said pointing him in the direction of an empty seat, “now please go take a seat, class is starting. I don’t want you late again,” she scolded and Ian nodded as he walked to the only seat available, the desk right in front of Mickey Milkovich.

“I saved you a seat carrot top,” he said with a devilish grin.

Ian scowled at him, pulled out his psychology textbook, flipped Mickey another finger and then settled down to pay attention to Mrs Watson. She wasn’t too bad.  _Kick._  It seemed her lessons were going to be rather interesting.  _Kick, kick, kick._ Ian took a deep, calming breath and reigned his anger in as he heaved a sigh.  _Kick. Kick. Kick. Kick._  He flexed his hand, knuckles still sore from yesterday’s beating. He was surprised that the teacher hadn’t said anything about his face.  _Kick. Kick._ Ian squared his jaw and turned around to face the source of the kicking.

“What. The. Fuck. Do. You. Want?” he asked each syllable dragged out and punctuated perfectly, almost quite as if he were throwing punches into his speech.

“You shouldn’t be talking in class,” Mickey said as he pretended to pay attention to the lesson. He didn’t even have a goddamn textbook on his table! What the actual fuck was this?

“Oh you’re one to talk Mickey, you don’t have a fucking textbook,” Ian ground out in a harsh whisper.

“Maybe I can’t afford one?” Mickey challenged.

“Maybe you should stop smoking then you’d be able to afford one fuck face,” Ian snarled.

“Gallagher, Milkovich, is there something wrong back there?” the teacher snapped, making Ian turn back to face her.

“No ma’am, just…helping a fellow classmate with his work. He needs  _lots_  of help,” Ian said as he tapped his head, giving a ‘no brains’ indication.

“That’s not very nice of you Mr Gallagher, you know better than that to criticize a classmate, apologise to Mr Milkovich, now,” she said fixing him with a stern glare, she folded her arms across her chest, “I’m waiting,” she said.

Ian gritted his teeth he swore he could hear Mickey snickering again. He turned around.

“Go ahead buddy, apologise. Don’t keep them waiting,” Mickey said smirking.

Boy would Ian love to wipe that fucking smug grin off of that delinquent’s face. He wasn’t making a very good impression on the teachers this way. Ian stared the dark haired boy squarely in the face, “I’m sorry for saying that you have no brains,” Ian said slowly enough as though talking to a retarded kid. Their teacher didn’t seem to have qualms about it, an apology was what she wanted and that was what Ian did so she quickly resumed her lessons once more with a stern, “Right no more nonsense you two!”

Just as she returned to writing on the board, Ian turned back and hissed, “Not.”

That earned him a strong kick to the back of his chair and his patience snapped.  “I’d like to change seats,” he said as he raised his hand.

“Where to?” the teacher asked clearly indicating that the rest of the seats were already taken.

“I’ll change,” a girl said raising her hand. She sat at the other end of the classroom in the back and she looked to be a little older.

“Mandy, right. Hurry,” the teacher muttered, allowing the change and Ian thanked the goth girl as she passed him and she smiled at him, patting him on the back.

“No worries,” she said and took her seat. The moment she did Mickey immediately looked disinterested making Ian wonder just what sort of sorcery she had over the monster of a guy. Whatever it was he wasn’t interested. He just needed to get through today without another instance like this. 


	3. Chapter 3

Well of course that was too much to ask for because at lunchtime, the girl Mandy, sat down at his table. Despite the nose ring, red highlights and all she smiled at him sweetly, “Mandy Milkovich,” she said as she stuck her hand out.

“Ian Gallagher,” he introduced and then narrowed his eyes at her, “Mickey’s sister?” he asked as he cautiously shook her hand.

“I try not to associate myself with that thing,” she answered as she shook her head, “I like the way you stood up to him,” Mandy said.

Ian shrugged, “Yeah sorry to say but I had to put him in his place.”

“Nah s’okay. I’m totally cool with it, in fact I give you full permission to beat him up whenever the fuck you want. I can’t stand him, that fuck face,” Mandy said as she ate her sandwich.

Ian raised a brow, “For siblings I take it you don’t like him much?”

“Not in the least. Mickey’s okay but its disgusting enough that we’re in the same year,” she said and then went on to explain, “I flunked last year and got held back and then he came along because dad said so.”

And that would explain why she did look older than the rest of them. “My sister and brother thought I should be put through the college route as well. Though I resisted at first,” Ian explained with a shrug.

“Parents?” she asked.

“Father’s a drunk, not much good there. Mom’s got a bipolar disorder, she’s in an institute,” Ian explained.

“Oh…I’m so sorry…” Mandy said.

Ian shook his head, “Nah, don’t be it ain’t your fault they turned out rotten.”

“Well, well look what we have here, carrot top and my slutty sister. You tryna bang her Gallagher? I’ll break you if you try,” Mickey threatened as he swaggered over to the table, a group of boy gathered around him.

“The fuck you want now Mickey, get off my back,” Ian growled as he glared at the other boy.

“You’re so immature,” Mandy shot back, “besides I approached Ian. Not the other way around.”

“You watch out,” Mickey threatened as he made the ‘eyes on you’ gesture, “try anything funny and I’ll fucking kill you in your sleep Gallagher,” just like that he was off and Ian ground his teeth together, the  _nerve_  of him.

“It’s bad enough I have to see him in the dorms but now he’s in my classes too? This is the worst thing that could happen,” Ian said with a huge sign.

“Holy shit, you got  _that_  as your roommate?” Mandy asked looking shocked.

Ian nodded with an exasperated roll of his eyes, “Pretty much…”

“That would explain the bruises on your face…” she said and Ian gave her a ‘you think I don’t know’ look. “Shit…you got it bad Gallagher, what’d you do to piss him off so bad?”

“Well,” Ian said and he began to tell her the tale of his plight. How he had been moving into the dorms with a huge cardboard box, walking down the street when he accidentally crashed into Mickey. After which he got a beating.

“Damn,” she whispered, “once you’re on his list there’s no getting off. But,” she said with a nonchalant shrug, “if you stick with me you’ll be fine.”

Ian laughed a little, “Thanks but I can fight back very well thank you.”

“I know. Just, y’know…” she said with a little shrug as she averted her eyes,  “we could hang out together.”

Okay. She was a fast one. Ian hadn’t even seen that coming at all. It was like Mandy had sprung that out from nowhere. But he needed to get things straight if they were to be friends of any kind.

“Um Mandy,” he began and she looked up at him, “I’m gay.”

It took a few seconds for her to register what he’d said and then she cocked her head to the side, “Gay like…you like guys gay? Or…gay…as in…happy gay?”

“I like guys gay,” he told her straight.

“Oh. Ian…I…” she stuttered to a stop.

“Yeah it’s okay if you don’t want to be friends now I get it,” Ian said for her.

“Whoa hold it right there Gallagher, I don’t mean that. It’s just…I’m well…” she said with a shrug, “I’m usually used to guys fawning over me and all that and back there in class I thought…maybe…but I was wrong and. There’s nothing wrong with you being gay I’m glad. I mean now I can have a boyfriend. Like a boy friend.”

Ian laughed, relieved, he knew what she was getting at here, “Sure.”

“And you can act like a real boyfriend when it comes to the guys that I don’t really like or want to date,” she added.

“Okay…” he said it was only fair. He ‘used’ her for her safety connection to Mickey and she ‘used’ him as a ‘boyfriend’. Perfect.

* * *

Ian entered his dorm room to see a Mickey frantically packing away a magazine.

“Dude you don’t have to stop your fapping on my occasion,” he said dumping his bag on the desk before he pulled off his tank top, and jeans.

“Fuck you carrot top, next time announce when you’re coming in,” Mickey scolded as he righted himself and lighted a cigarette, acting as though nothing had happened.

Ian shook his head dumping his clothes at the foot of his bed he rummaged around in the cupboard for something else to wear before he headed off to the bathroom.

Mickey sat on his bed watching after the redhead and then he let out a huge sigh his cock still hard from the stimulation. Seeing the pale lightly freckled body of the redhead had only made his condition worse. Ian had a lean body, lightly muscular arms, and a torso to die for. The way the boxers hung low on his hips…Mickey licked his lips. He could just imagine licking those pale hipbones, sucking on them and making the redhead cry. His hand inched closer to his crotch, he knew he shouldn’t, he didn’t want to. Mickey couldn’t understand how a magazine full of studs could turn him on or how Ian fucking Gallagher could make him stand at attention.

Fuck it. Whatever the case he needed to take care of his cock at the moment. He laid back in bed, one hand slipping into his boxers, he tugged his hardened member out with and began to stroke it, slicking himself up with his pre-ejaculate. He didn’t have to think much or long because very soon he stiffened and spilled seed coating his hand and pooling in his boxers. He panted, chest heaving, lifted the cigarette to his lips and took a long drag, closing his eyes he tucked his member back and wiped his ejaculate on an unsoiled part of his boxers.

Mickey closed his eyes and exhaled the smoke, all he could see was pale white freckled skin and it was at that exact moment he heard the bathroom door unlock. And said pale white boy with freckled skin exited from it. He kept his eyes shut as he lifted the cigarette to his mouth and took another lungful of it. Hell if he was going to have to act like he was sleeping, carrot top could  _not_  find out about this. Not at all.

“What the fuck did I say about smoking when I’m in the room!” he heard Ian’s exasperated voice followed by the sound of angry footsteps past his bed. Mickey chanced a peek, tilting his head back and boy was he in for a view. Ian was leaning to open both the bottom and the top windows, towel around his neck, red hair trickling water, those blue boxers fitting snugly around that waist. He shuddered, shutting his eyes tightly again as he went back to his state of ignorance. Mickey flopped an arm over his eyes so should he even be tempted to look he would still see nothing but darkness.

He drew one more breath of nicotine goodness and then he felt a presence next to him, definitely Ian, who took the cigarette from him and tossed it out the window. That got him to sit up and glare at the other boy.

“Fucking hell! Do you know how much that cost?” he yelled staring from Ian to the open window through which his poor unfinished cigarette had been thrown out and then back to the redhead.

“I don’t give a shit how much that cost,” Ian spat, “as long as I see you smoking when I’m around I will take that lung killer and toss it the fuck out of the room. Ya hear?”

Mickey flipped him the finger and sat back against the wall, arms folded across his chest.

“Bathroom’s all yours fap boy,” Ian said indicating his boxers.

“Oh fuck you Ian,” Mickey growled and then stormed off into the bathroom.

Ian couldn’t help but to shake his head, a small smile on his lips as he heard the shower turn on. Cautiously he crept over to Mickey’s bed and lifted the pillow, a busty blonde babe with rock hard nipples and big tits stared back at him from the cover of the Playboy magazine. Ian rolled his eyes and dropped the pillow back in place, covering the porn. He hadn’t expected any less from a bully like Mickey. Without further ado, he pulled on a random band tee one of Lip’s old hand me downs and then gathered up his clothes to go and do laundry. He stuck one of his shoes between the door keeping it open. He would be down the hall and back in a jiffy anyway.

Making his way into the laundry room, Ian found it surprisingly empty. The machines were running and that was about it. Well thank goodness for that. He wasn’t feeling very sociable anyway. He dumped his clothes in the wash paid for detergent and then dropped in a dime for the machine to start. Once he was sure that the machine was up and running he headed out of the laundry room, walking down the hallway. He stopped short in his tracks.

The door to 217 was closed. The shoe was gone. There was only one person responsible for this.

“Mickey!” Ian yelled as he hammered on the door. “I know you’re fucking in there Mickey open the goddamn door!” he said pounding on the door.

“Nobody’s home carrot top!” came the reply from the other side.

“Mickey you fucking asshole! Open the door!” Ian growled as he rammed into it, the door of course didn’t budge and he ended up hurting himself more instead.

“No can do faggot. I’m taking a smoke,” he heard Mickey answer, “because  _somebody_  can’t be in the room with me when I’m doing so, see how thoughtful I am?”

Ian sighed, rolling his eyes and then glaring at the door wishing he could burn it down with his vision. “Look fine, let me back in and I won’t complain about you smoking no more.” Besides it wasn’t really that he hated Mickey smoking, it’s just he wanted to irritate the raven-haired boy more. In fact he was fine with smoking, he did so too sometimes anyway. He heard footsteps padding over to the door and then heard the door open a cloud of smoke greeted him sending him coughing and that was it he jumped Mickey and tackled him to the floor as he took the cigarette from the other boy’s hand.

“Enough,” he growled straddling Mickey, sitting on his chest as he took the cigarette and gave the raven the exact same treatment. He blew a smoke ring at him and then stuck the cigarette back in Mickey’s mouth before he got off the other boy.

Mickey lay there longer watching in his upside down world as Ian strode over to the desk pulled out his chair and settled down to his work. Well  _that_ certainly had been interesting.


	4. Chapter 4

The rest of the week was rather uneventful. He and Ian still bickered everyday. He realised that the redhead had a habit of waking up earlier than him most days. Ian also made the best hot chocolate…which needless to say was always left on the windowsill for him in the mornings. Mickey of course  _hated_  sleeping in the tree outside his room, so he would need to have a talk with the redhead very soon about that matter.

Smoking wasn’t so much of a problem now too. Ian let him smoke, provided he gave him one cigarette every time he lit his own, so he was more prone to smoking when Ian wasn’t there. Mickey was glad that he and his group had created a reputation of sorts amongst the student body, they were feared and that was good. He had his fair share of bullying other kids when Ian wasn’t around. But when the redhead was there, Mickey was sure to give him hell.

Also he’d tried out for the school’s soccer team, which he was happy to say he qualified for. Everything was good that is until the English literature lecture where Ian who was being a pussy cowering in his sister’s protection was being a bloody show off. The redhead was on a goddamn roll, answering every question that the faggot excuse of a lecturer, Professor Lishman was dishing out to get this – the whole lecture hall.

If this were some kind of flirtation session he would rather do without it. So he packed his bag and slinging it over his shoulder he made his grand departure.

“Where do you think you’re going?” the professor’s voice rang loud and clear through the hall and Mickey turned back.

“Off?” he asked like as if it wasn’t obvious enough.

“We aren’t done for the day yet.”

“Well I’m done for the day. I can’t take this faggot shit no more,” Mickey said as his eyes – fuck it all, met Ian’s across the distance of the hall.

Ian stared after the dark haired boy, Mickey had clearly been staring at him. Clearly. Firstly he didn’t understand why the fuck the delinquent would direct the message at him, secondly and most importantly, he didn’t understand this feeling of hurt that was bubbling up inside him. Ian shook it off, shook that feeling away and turned back to face the lecturer, Professor Lishman. He was just the right degree of old and sexy, like aged wine that Ian knew would taste good. Yeah he had been flirting with the professor if you can call answering questions flirtation. No one would know. Besides Literature was his favourite subject.

“Right, ignoring all that nonsense, let’s continue with our lesson,” the professor said with a smile and Ian couldn’t help but to look said professor in the eye and smile back.

When classes were over Ian packed up his belonging slowly waiting for the students to leave before he made his way down to Professor Lishman’s table. “Hi,” Ian said with a small smile.

“Ah, you. The bright young thing who keeps answering my questions,” the man said with a knowing smile, “what can I do for you?”

“Uh…I’m Ian, Ian Gallagher…” he introduced, “and I was wondering, if you have any materials that I could use to read ahead?”

The professor laughed, a rich sound, “Why you must be the first who’s asking me about reading ahead Ian,” he said.

“I really love literature, it’s my favourite subject,” Ian explained.

“I can tell. Well I’ll see you in class next Tuesday so why don’t I pass you the books then?”

Ian nodded and smiled, “Thanks a lot Professor,” he said.

“Oh Ian have you thought of joining any of the clubs by the way?” professor Lishman asked as he led him out of the lecture hall, the two of them walking across campus together.

“I already did, I’m in Drama Club,” Ian said as he chewed on his lower lip, nervously.

“I see. Well, I’m the teacher in charge of that club f.y.i so don’t let me down,” he said a hand on his shoulder he gave him another smile before he walked off in the other direction.

Wow. If that wasn’t an invitation, Ian didn’t know what was. With his first week over already, Ian trudged back to his dorm room. It was empty thank goodness. Mickey wasn’t around and Ian hoped that would stay that way for a little longer. He had things to read up on, and a paper to finish by Monday. He set his things down, took a shower and then settled down to work. At dinner, Mandy dropped by with some Chinese takeout and Ian told her about Professor Lishman. She was cool about it.

“I mean I don’t really take literature so I wouldn’t know about him at all,” Mandy said, “but if you like him go for it. No one can stop you,” she continued on a parting note and that got him thinking that night in bed before he fell asleep.

Of course it was another night where there was knocking on the window and Mickey calling to him.

“Gallagher, open the fucking window,” he heard Mickey’s slurred speech. He was drunk? What the actual fuck. Ian turned on the lights, opened the window letting cool autumn air rushing into the room. Mickey tossed his bag into the room and then struggled to come in. He stumbled and ended up knocking over his stack of books and Ian would have scolded him had he not been shocked at Mickey’s current state.

“Shit,” Ian whispered his hand covering his mouth as he stared at Mickey in his bloody, drunken state. “The fuck did you get yourself into?” he asked as he bent to help the raven-haired boy up. But Mickey swatted him away.

“Fuck off, I don’t need your help,” he mumbled as he crawled over to his bed and sat there, head lying back on his pillow.

Ian stared at him. His face was bloody, a streak of blood trailing down his forehead, his nose and his lip. They were still fresh wounds and still open, “Mickey,” he said as he bent down, moving over to the other boy’s side, “you’re gonna bleed out like that,” he said. Though his J-ROTC training taught him well enough that he would be fine. He was sane enough to form sentences and his movements were under the influence of alcohol.

“Just shut up and go away carrot top,” Mickey said his voice irritated.

Ian rolled his eyes; going into the bathroom he dug out the dorm room’s first aid kit. Then he took a cloth and wet it before he went back out. He set the kit down on Mickey’s bed and then knelt at the other’s side. Pursing his lips he dabbed the cloth over the other boy’s forehead. He’d thought Mickey had already dozed off but as soon as the cloth touched the other’s forehead, a strong grip circled his wrist and Mickey opened dark eyes turning his head to look at him.

“I’m helping you…” Ian said as he reached to pry Mickey’s fingers off his wrist. Reluctantly Mickey let go, but he didn’t stop looking at him as he cleaned up his bloody face. Ian made a few trips in and out of the toilet, rinsing out the cloth to clean Mickey’s face.

All the while Mickey couldn’t stop staring at Ian’s parted lips, or the way the redhead bit his lips when he was nervous and the then wet his lips with a swipe of his tongue. He raised his gaze higher and noticed the way Ian’s blue eyes were focused and filled with worry as he helped him. Mickey swallowed, closing his eyes as a deep ache filled his chest. He couldn’t help himself.

“What happened?” he heard Ian ask as gentle fingers rubbed anti-septic cream into his cuts.

“None of your business,” Mickey said keeping his eyes shut tight to keep temptation out.

“You owe me an explanation,” Ian said hitting his chest lightly.

Mickey hissed opening his eyes to glare at Ian, “I got into a bar fight okay? The fuck you gon’ do about it?” he asked.

Ian shrugged, “How’d you manage to climb the tree then?” he asked.

“What, I had to get in,” Mickey said, “sides I was prepped to sleep outside there again and you were going to get a beating for locking me out every night.”

Ian shook his head a small smile creeping to his lips, “I’ll be doing that till you learn to come in before curfew,” he said, fingers reaching to brush Mickey’s hair back gently as he stuck a Band-Aid on his forehead. “What do you even do out there anyway? Don’t you need to study?”

“Fuck studies,” Mickey muttered closing his eyes and totally avoiding the subject of what he did. He heard Ian sigh and then felt the redhead’s presence move away from his side. The bathroom cabinets opened and shut and then he heard Ian turn off the lights.

“Are you going to spend the night sitting there?” Ian asked.

Mickey looked at the other in the dark, really looked, since Ian couldn’t possibly see him staring at him in the dark. He took in Ian’s large tee-shirt over boxer shorts, he was practically swimming in the shirt. Mickey knew Ian kept a toned body beneath that baggy shirt and he wondered why he didn’t show it off today. Must be the alcohol talking…

“Yeah, it gonna be a problem carrot top?” he asked.

“Nope. Just don’t blame me if you wake up aching and shit,” Ian muttered as he got in his bed, curled up in his sheets and fell asleep. Mickey reached his hand out in the dark, pulling his blanket off his bed, he lay down on the floor and curling up on his side he fell asleep too. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yay Ian tending to a wounded Mickey because he cares, and as my friends all say Professor Lishman is a cockblock. It’s just to thicken the plot!!!! Anyway, hope ya’ll enjoy this new chapter! This story will be updated Mon-Wed-Fri


	5. Chapter 5

Ian woke up the next morning a little early for a Saturday. He rolled to the side of his bed about to get off when he found Mickey rolled up in his blanket, sleeping near his bed. He looked like a harmless kitten like this when he slept, in fact he didn’t look like the delinquent that Ian knew at all. It was just something about the way his face took on a softer look, he wasn’t guarded or anything and…Ian had to say he sorta liked it. Liked Mickey’s softer look that is, not…anything else.

Shaking off the feeling Ian crept out of bed and went to the bathroom. Washing up he got his stuff and then leaving his shoe in the doorway he went down to the pantry on this level to make hot chocolate. One for himself and another for Mickey, he thought as he stirred the second cupful of frothy chocolaty goodness.

It had become his ‘morning routine’ of sorts to make hot chocolate for the other boy; he didn’t really know why he made it really. The first day it had been just an apology and then after that…well, Mickey didn’t say anything about it so, he made one for him every morning and left it on the windowsill when he locked him out. That would be something that remained unspoken between them.

Gingerly Ian pushed open the door with his foot, seeing Mickey still curled up on the floor. He didn’t know if it would be better to wake him up or to let him sleep on. Setting the two cups down on the table, he walked over to the sleeping Mickey, bent down and poked him, “Hey, Mickey, wake up.” The other boy groaned, and burrowed down into his blanket. “Fuck off,” he muttered.

“How’re you feeling?” Ian asked continuing to poke him on his arm.

“Aching,” Mickey murmured and shrugged his finger off.

“You planning on staying here the whole day?” Ian asked as he sat down on the floor beside the still sleeping raven-haired boy

Mickey grunted a yes and then turned over to him, opening his eyes, “Why’re you here? Don’t you have shit to do carrot top? Like that faggot professor’s work?”

Ian punched his shoulder lightly, “My fuck face of a room mate is down, gotta take care of him,” he said as he stood to go and get the two mugs of hot chocolate. This time when he settled down at Mickey’s side the other boy pulled himself into a sitting position, raising his brow he looked at the two steaming mugs.

“That for me?” he asked. 

Ian shrugged; “Dunno, you see anyone else in the room?” he asked and got a chuckle from the other.

Mickey got out of the blanket, shrugging it off as he reached to take one of the cups from the redhead. He was surprised Ian was here. Usually, the other boy was gone for classes, leaving him, a rather cold aching mess and smelling of tree as he drank the mug of hot chocolate alone.

“Day?” he asked as he lifted the mug to his lips.

“Saturday. Weekend,” Ian offered shaking his head, “you got hit pretty bad last night huh.”

“Mm,” he said making a noise of acknowledgement. He didn’t want to talk much about last night anyway. No one, only he, needed to know the reason behind that bar brawl.

Ian took the cue from him and sat there wrapping his arms around himself, mug of hot chocolate at the side. The room fell into silence and Mickey took that time to drink finish his mug of hot chocolate. Licking his lips, he set the mug down at his side and mirrored Ian.

“So…I take it you like it?” Ian asked arching a brow.

“Like what?” Mickey asked.

“Hot chocolate,” Ian offered.

He shrugged nonchalantly, “Not bad.”

“Not bad? Well’s its gotta be pretty darn good if you’re drinking it all up,” Ian said as he took to finishing his own mug of hot chocolate.

“Whatever,” Mickey muttered as he shrugged out of his jacket and then gingerly pulled off his tank top. He stared down at his bruised body. Yeah, he got hit pretty bad, but who gave a fuck? Sometimes physical hurt could do well in taking your mid off of other shitty things.

“Wow, shit man,” Ian mused, “did you break your ribs?” 

“Doubt it. It don’t really hurt when I breathe so,” Mickey said with a shrug, “guess I’m fine.” 

“C’mon,” Ian invited, standing as he offered Mickey a hand, “gotta get that cleaned up and bandaged,” he said. Of course he was expecting to be told to ‘fuck off’ or something but he was surprised really that Mickey took his hand and let him lead him into the bathroom. Ian sat him down on the closed toilet bowl and then he pulled out the first aid kit.

“What’re you doing?” Mickey asked looking at him quizzically.

“Cleaning you up,” Ian said as he knelt in front of the raven-haired boy.

Above him Mickey scowled as the redhead cleaned his wounds. He was gentle and really good with his hands. Don’t think about his hands…soft…slightly callused… Ian nimbly worked with the bandages his fingers brushing against his skin each time. Each time Mickey would curse in his head, closing his eyes as he bit his lower lip.

“What the fuck, Mickey?” the voice snaps him out of it all and Mickey jumps at it.

Standing at the bathroom door is his sister Mandy an expression of shock on her face and one of bewilderment, “Right…I’m gonna step out. You settle this shit.”

Mickey saw the redhead’s pale, freckled cheeks redden and then he averted his gaze, clearing his throat, clearly uncomfortable at the situation. Those blue eyes caught his and Mickey scowled, he was sure his face was looking like a goddamn tomato, his ears were all hot too. “The fuck you waitin’ for carrot top, go talk to her!” he said as he pushed the other boy out, “I’ll handle this shit on my own,” he said taking the bandages.

Ian left never feeling more embarrassed. Yeah it certainly hadn’t been anything at all. Just…helping a roommate dress his wounds. He found Mandy standing in the hallway and he signals to her it’s okay to come in. “Look I didn’t come here to disturb…” Mandy says and Ian knows she’s already joking from her tone.

“I’m not into him,” he tells her anyway, “seriously _that_ is not my type.”

She giggled all smiles and teeth, “Okay. What happened to him?”

“Came in injured and drunk last night. Past the curfew time,” Ian explained.

“Shit, it looked pretty bad.”

“Ay carrot top, I need help with this fucking shit,” Mickey hollered as he came to the door, fumbling with the bandages. Ian turned and was about to help him when Mandy smacked him, “Respect Mick,” she said, pulling him back into the room, Ian following.

“Ow, that fucking hurt!”

“Serves you right, anyway we’re going to go out I need new clothes,” Mandy says as she leads Mickey into the bathroom. “Ian a minute in private okay?” she said as she shut the door.

Mickey looks at his sister, standing with him in the bathroom, “What the fuck skank?

“Look here Mickey if you break his heart I will kill you y’hear? Kill you,” she threatened, “You will be dead,” Mandy added with a slitting of the throat gesture to drive home her point.

And Mickey rolled his eyes at her conclusion, “Whoa hold the fuck up. I’m not into him okay? I don’t fucking like him!” Mickey said.

“Okay. Good. I’m gonna watch you and I SWEAR you harm him or hurt him I will have your head.”

“Yeah all right, okay, okay,” he said and watches as Mandy leaves.

“Fuck,” Mickey mutters kicking over the trashcan in frustration, pulling on his tank top, he exited the room seeing Ian changing, back to him. Mandy was there too, staring him down, arms folded across her chest in a protective stance.

I don’t like him. Do I…


	6. Chapter 6

As Valentine’s Day draws around the corner Ian, borrows the Cooking Club’s kitchen and makes chocolates. Mandy’s with him as they pipe the chocolate mixture into the moulds.

“So who’re you planning on giving them to?” Mandy asks as she licks some off her finger.

Ian shrugs, “Ned.”

“Who?” Mandy questions as she crosses the kitchen to put her tray into the fridge.

“Remember the lit teacher? The one that I was telling you about the last time? Professor Lishman, yeah he’s Ned,” Ian explained as he shook the moulding tray to ensure the surface of the chocolate mix was all straight and even.

“Wait you’re seeing him?”

“No…I just wanted to give him chocolates,” Ian said wish a shrug as he went to put the mould into the fridge

“Really? An old guy like him?” Mandy asked incredulous, “Not that I’m judging you with your choices or anything but why not pick someone closer to your own age?”

“Guys my age don’t know how to have real relationships. I need someone stable,” Ian explained and for a second there he saw Mickey’s face. The delinquent had improved his coming in late from curfew such that he spent two nights locked out every time instead of staying out the whole night. They didn’t talk much now that school was in full session. Ian had his club meetings and they were currently working on a musical and Mickey was busy with his soccer thing being the captain only after such a short time.

“Baking faggot chocolates carrot top?” came Mickey’s voice as the raven-haired boy entered the kitchen.

“Fuck off,” Ian muttered as he cleaned up the workstation, walking past the other boy. “bet you get pussy chocolates,” he retorted.

“Bingo,” Mickey said as he watched Ian washing up, Mandy watching him closely. ‘I’m not doing anything,’ he mouthed at her when she narrowed her eyes at him.

“Ian’s making chocolates to give to someone special,” Mandy said.

“Mandy,” Ian hissed whirling to stare at her.

“Who’s the lucky bastard?” Mickey asked.

“None of your business,” Ian mutters and turns away, forcefully brushing past him and wiping his hand on a cloth.

“You wanna fucking fight now?” Mickey growls as he jumps off the stool he’s kept in line by Mandy who stands between them. 

“Back off,” she threatens her voice fierce. 

“I’m just gonna go,” Ian said as he hangs up the apron and then with a wave to Mandy he’s out of the kitchen.

“Is it that fucking old coot? That literature teacher? Fucking Lishman?” Mickey asks of his sister.

“I don’t know Mick,” Mandy says. Mickey knows she’s hiding something, definitely hiding something.

“Fine, don’t tell me. I’ll find out on my own,” he says and leaves the kitchen.

He returns to the dorm to find Ian lying in bed reading ahead for Lishman’s class with the teacher’s book in his hands, anger bubbles inside him and he locks his jaw. Just what the fuck is the redhead planning on doing? The meetings after classes, answering all his questions during lectures and then handing in papers weeks before the actual deadline there had to be something going on and if Mickey didn’t know better Ian was wooing the old cow.

“What’re you up to?” Mickey demanded of Ian as he kept his eyes on somewhere that wasn’t the curve of Ian’s arse defined by his cotton boxers or the freckled pale plains of his back.

“What you mean fuck face?” Ian asked turning around and Mickey gulped his eyes quickly glancing over Ian’s chest.

He turned around, breathing deeply as he shrugged out of his jacket and hung it up, “You know your chocolates and shit,” Mickey said as he went to the desk and sat down, turning on the lamp he opened the math textbook and settled down.

“It’s Valentine’s tomorrow, spirit of giving and all that,” Ian answered.

“It’s only if you have a boyfriend carrot top which you don’t,” Mickey said as he started on a clean sheet of paper, trying to solve his sums.

“No, the point of Valentine’s is to show your interest in someone by giving them something,” Ian said.

“Chocolates only or what?” Mickey asked.

“Oooh why ya askin’? Got someone you like?” Ian teased him and Mickey felt his cheeks heating, he was positively certain his ears were red too

“For fuck’s sake, no! I’m just fucking asking,” Mickey growled and he heard Ian chuckle. 

“Okay if that’s what helps you sleep better at night.”

Nothing more was said that evening as the two got caught up in their own work. Ian for some reason found himself looking to Mickey after every two pages. His eyes were drawn to Mickey’s back as the raven-haired boy bent over his work. He was broad shouldered, arms muscled and strong…Ian let his eyes travel down his arm. Mickey’s hands looked strong, sturdy, holding the pen scribbling notes. He had a strong jaw, a real pleasant side profile. He would indeed be handsome if he lost the attitude. 

Wait…did he just seriously think that? All of that?

“Fuck studying I’m going to bed now, you coming?” Mickey asked and it startled Ian.

“Coming to bed with you? NO.”

“It wasn’t an offer carrot top, get your fucking head checked. I meant you should get to bed and stop reading that faggot’s book already,” Mickey said as he turned off the room lights without waiting for Ian’s reply.

Ian set the book down on the floor, and then pulled the covers around him and closed his eyes. In the bed beside him, Mickey did the same; just…he turned his head looking at Ian in the darkness, eyes adjusting to the redhead’s form.

“G’night Mickey,” he heard Ian say and Mickey felt something stir inside him, just the slightest of rustles, like leaves in a gentle breeze, the lightest touch of a feather ghosting over skin. He closed his eyes and settled down.

“Night…Ian…” Mickey whispered.

And so it was that under the cover of darkness, two troubled hearts were sent off to the land of the Sandman. 


	7. Chapter 7

A small box sits on his table in psychology class. Ian finds it odd that anyone should give him something on Valentine’s Day. Silently he slips into his seat, opening the box, he smiles at the gift, twin dog tags on a metal chain both having their own patterns. He glances around the class that is still rather empty. Could any of the students here have given this to him? It didn’t feel right…he looked to Mickey’s seat; the raven-haired boy still wasn’t there yet.

“First present of the day?” Mandy asks as she nods her head to the dog tags, taking her seat next to him in class today.

“Yeah,” Ian answered as he took them out.

“Does it have a note?” she asked pulling out her textbook.

“Nope, it just appeared on my table no note, nothing,” Ian said as he put the tags on.

“You’ve just scored yourself a secret admirer,” Mandy teased as the teacher walked into class followed quickly by one Mickey Milkovich.

Ian’s eyes flit to the boy for a split second as he fingered the dog tags. Was it him? Couldn’t be right? Nah, he wouldn’t. Anyway it didn’t matter.

If Mickey had been expecting any thanks, he was wrong because Ian, that fucking dimwit didn’t even think twice about talking to him that day. So he watched from a distance as the redhead went about classes, ate lunch with his sister and then sat through the entire English literature lesson all fidgety and shit with his box of specially made chocolate, nicely wrapped up and prepared to give to professor Lishman.

As the class emptied out, Mickey followed suit but found himself lingering at the door to the lecture theatre, watching Ian. The redhead made it to the front of the classroom, shy as fuck and blushing, clearly too preoccupied by the old fucker’s presence to notice that he was watching.

“Holy crap it’s happening,” came Mandy’s voice from behind him, making him jump.

“Shut up you’re gonna blow our fucking cover skank,” he growled as he shushed her.

The Milkovichs’ watched in anticipation as Ian like the nervous schoolboy he was, finally got the courage to hand over his box of homemade chocolates to the professor.

“I don’t see what Ian sees in him,” Mandy whispered watching as Ian rounded he table to hug the older man.

“Clearly faggots and faggots attract each other,” Mickey whispered back cringing as Ian tiptoed to kiss the professor on the cheek. Once again he felt that raging fire of emotion course through him, making his blood boil. “I’m outta here,” he said and then turned to leave.

“Oh wait Ian and I were going out to town tonight, you wanna come?” she asked

“Where to?” Mickey asked.

Mandy shrugged, “A friend’s place, they’re having a Valentine’s party thing.”

“Do I look like I have a fucking date?” Mickey asked. 

“Neither do Ian or I, c’mon they’ve got booze and some joints,” she said, clearly persuading him to come and for once Mickey decided to let his sister drag him to one of her social events…only because Ian would be there…but of course Mickey wouldn’t admit that to himself. 

* * *

They were taking a bus down to Mandy’s friend’s place and the bus was crowded as was the usual of this time of the day. There were no seats so the three of them stood around holding on to the handrails and the poles. As the bus came to a sudden halt at the traffic light, Ian was forced to grab onto the pole nearest to him in an attempt to keep himself right side up.

He realised that he’d grabbed onto Mickey’s hand in the course of that and he quickly draws his hand back, heart racing. He hadn’t realised that Mickey would be holding onto that pole…he looks to his feet now hearing as the other boy uncomfortably clears his throat beside him. Cautiously Ian reaches for a place on the pole where Mickey’s hand isn’t. The accident had made him feel suddenly conscious of the raven-haired boy’s presence.

When they arrive at the party Ian realises that half of the people there are already drunk. There’s free flow of alcohol and the room is filled with sweet smelling smoke. It’s like he’s stepped into a different world altogether, enveloped in the smoke. Mandy guides them over to the booze table and it isn’t long before they join the crowd of drunkards.

They’re on the fifth round of spin the bottle for seven minutes in heaven and Ian’s feeling fired up, his body singing with the bliss of alcohol. There’s another boy there that he kind of likes, shaggy blonde hair, deep voice, he wanted to get him. He leans forward to spin the bottle and watches as it turns and turns and slows down. His eyes follow the direction of where the bottle stopped and Ian’s eyes travel up black army boots, cargo pants and a black tank top to meet Mickey’s dark eyes. He licks his lips, swallowing past the growing lump in his throat. Of all people…it _had_ to be him…just the thought of it…it made him nervous as fuck.

“Go on, get inside the closet!” the group cheered as one of them volunteered to take the timing.

Ian steps into the closet, Mickey following after him into the dimly lit room. Ian stands far away from Mickey and he doesn’t know what to do really. His stomach is twisting and turning, butterflies fluttering in every fucking direction. Also his body shudders at the thought of what would happen next: heated kissing, heavy petting, a quick fuck. He looks to Mickey, those thoughts in his alcohol hazed mind and then quickly averts his glance when he realizes that the other boy is watching him. 

“Alright carrot top, lets get this over and done with,” Mickey said taking the lead.

“What?” Ian’s shocked at Mickey’s attitude.

“You know, do whatever fucking thing it is they do?” Mickey said as he approached the redhead, “I ain’t never done this before though…” he said clearly awkward and just as nervous as Ian as he scrubbed awkwardly behind his neck. Yeah he didn’t always go out with people who did this sort of shit...he'd heard about seven minutes in heaven. Heard about what they did, and what happened. But never actually gotten down to it before. 

“Um...I guess a kiss will do?” Ian said with a shrug, pulling the sleeves of his sweater down as Mickey closed the distance.

“Aight. But you gotta close your eyes,” Mickey commanded. 

“Okay,” Ian said and closed his eyes obediently.

He gasped when Mickey roughly backed him and pushed him up against the shelf the wood digging into his back and next thing he felt was Mickey's lips on his. Unsteady, rough, sloppy and nervous Mickey kissed him. Mickey’s callused hands cradling his face on either side. Ian felt like he was on fire, being consumed by the flames of god only knows what he’s fucking feeling right now and he can't help himself as he moans against Mickey's lips opening his mouth to Mickey's plundering tongue.

Mickey growls into the kiss. It’s so fucking good. He’s never kissed anyone quite as fiercely or as passionately as he was kissing a certain Ian Gallagher right now. He grips the other by his shirt slamming him against the shelf as Ian’s hands slipped around his waist, cupping his arse and pulling him up close. He hissed, pulling away as his crotch ground against Ian’s, “Don't,” he rasped, their lips barely touching. His heart was racing, he was panting and Ian…Ian was sneaky as fuck. The redhead was grinding up against him, humping him. Mickey kept his hand around Ian’s neck, staring into his eyes, a silent command that if he dared to go any further, he wouldn’t hesitate to strangle the other boy. It was all he could do to keep Ian at bay and all he could do to keep his own thin shred of restraint.

There was a knock on the door and Ian stopped mid-grind, “A minute left boys.”

Ian’s eyes were glazed over and Mickey could see that he was wanted. And from the tightness in his pants he wanted the redhead too. Mickey dipped his head to Ian’s neck and kissed it. Ian immediately arched into him letting out a breathy, stuttery moan. He grinned; he’d hit the fucking jackpot. Sucking on Ian’s sensitive spot on the redhead’s pale neck, Mickey elicited obscene moans and wanton whines from the other boy.

“Oh Mickey,” Ian panted his hips rutting against the raven-haired boy’s thigh, “Mmph Mickey,” he whispered voice raspy, “Oh fuck yesss,” Ian cried rubbing up against him like a cat in heat as Mickey sucked on his neck, licking him and kissing his skin, worshiping him like there was no tomorrow.

Mickey smirked against Ian’s neck, satisfied. He kissed the already forming hickey.

He’d left his mark.

Just then the door opened and Mickey backed away from the redhead who remained pressed up against the wooden shelves, breathless, completely ravaged, his lips pink and plump and parted. Ian looked totally and completely beautiful and Mickey turned away from him, shocked and embarrassed at what he’d done. Ian stared after him his fingers moving to the dog tags around his neck, he closed his hand around them, then, licking his lips, he too left the closet and returned to the game.


	8. Chapter 8

Mickey woke up the next morning with a fucking hangover. It hurt so bad as he opened his eyes he found that he was lying on the floor near Ian’s bed and Ian was sleeping such that he was almost falling off the bed. He was sleeping right at the edge and Mickey realised that their hands…Ian’s dangling from the bed and his thrown above his head, they were almost touching. Ian’s fingers could literally have brushed against his hand. Experimentally Mickey stretches his fingers, and touches the tips of Ian’s fingers, he feels a spark as their skins touch. He only has to let this tips of his fingers ghost over Ian’s hand, tracing the veins tenderly…

Shit. This wasn’t happening.

Not with him.

Not Ian Gallagher…

Without further ado Mickey drags himself up and leaves the room after making sure Ian was still asleep and it hurt him to leave the redhead alone for some reason. God fucking damn it, first the dog tags, then last night in the closet it was enough to make Mickey fear for his feelings towards Ian.

It couldn’t happen.

When Ian awoke his head hurt, the room was empty. Mickey wasn’t about at all though Ian was quite sure the two had gotten in before curfew together. He ran a hand through his hair and getting out of bed he trudged into the bathroom, washing his face he realised for the first time the blue-black hickey on his neck. Gingerly he ran his fingers over it, tracing the mouth shaped mark. Alcohol or no he could remember clearly what happened. Mickey had left this on his neck, his mark and the thought of it, the thought of yesterday night in the closet…it was completely overwhelming. 

Mickey didn’t seem like the kind…but yesterday night was so real, so vivid. Okay maybe Mickey just hadn’t had a good fuck in awhile and he was just using him or something. Ian refused to let it get to him and went to take a shower. When he was done, he found the other boy in the room once again.

“Didn’t hear you get back,” Ian said, drying his hair, “Where’ve you been?”

Mickey shrugged, “None of your concern.”

“Anyway, I’m going down to the library to finish up my paper so you got the room to yourself,” Ian said as he changed in the room.

Mickey didn’t reply at all and Ian decided it was best not to push him for a reply, so he left without another word.

* * *

Ian enters the library, Saturday mornings are usually quiet, everyone on campus slept in. So the library was empty. His footsteps fell on wooden parquet floors as he walked to the back of the library. Sitting at the table in the corner was Ned, poring over student’s papers and marking them.

“Hey,” Ian said as he pulled up a chair next to the literature professor.

“Ian, so good to see you,” he greeted with a smile which slowly faded away. “What’s that?” Ned asks pointing to the hickey on his neck.

Ian shrugs, making a conscious effort to cover it with his hand, “It’s nothing.” 

“That’s not nothing Ian, I know what it is. Who gave it to you?”

Ian keeps silent looking at the swirled pattern that the wooden table makes.

“I don’t like it Ian…” Ned says his voice gentle but serious, “Look I want us to be serious okay? A serious couple. I can’t have you seeing other people when we’re together. Yes, you may be young but, that’s not an excuse. If you want to be in a relationship you’ve got to be committed to it.” 

Ian sighs, he doesn’t need to hear this shit right now. He’d thought Ned would understand, “Look that hickey happened before you said you wanted to be serious okay? If I’d known, yeah sure I’d fucking keep the other person away. But you just got to accept this. It was _one_ hickey. It means nothing Ned,” Ian said his voice faltering.

“That happened last night?” Ned asked.

“Yeah, so? I already said it means nothing,” Ian retorted. “You want me to be serious, I’ll be serious from here on out.”

“I don’t ever want to see another sort of that kind of thing on you from now on okay? Unless it’s mine,” Ned teases.

There’s something about it that makes him uneasy but Ian nods and smiles, “Okay.”

Ned is pleased with the reply and he leans over reaching for Ian. Ian knows what’s going to happen next and he steels his nerves for it.

Now Mandy wasn’t really one for going to visit the library in the morning. But today she had an agenda for visiting that building. That’s where the school’s dealer was located at and right now, Mandy needed a new pack of smoke from said dealer. Her friend mentioned that the dealer was always in the back so that’s where she headed to first. What she saw, shocked her. Ian and that old guy, the professor were making out.

Holy fucking crap.

They were making out in the library.

Mandy doesn’t stay any longer and her first instinct is to go to the boys’ dorms.

* * *

Mickey pulled out his earphones at the sound of the knocking on the door. He was getting nowhere with his homework. He shuffled over to open the door and found his sister standing there. She barges in without asking and plonks herself on Ian’s bed.

“The fuck you doing here skank?” he asks, pinching the bridge of his nose. He’d taken some painkillers but the headache was still there and right now he didn’t want to deal with homework or with his sister. 

“Well. First off, where’s Ian?” she asked.

Mickey looked at her, “What the fuck are you trying to get at?” Because surely Ian and her were very good friends and Ian would have told her he would be at the library right?

“Just answer me,” Mandy snapped.

“Library. What the fuck sis?” he sighed sitting down on his bed, “Didn’t carrot top tell you?”

“Yes. He said he was going there to study or something like that,” Mandy said.

“Yeah told me the same thing. So what?”

“So I saw him in the library. And he wasn’t studying!” she said as if that was something to be amazed about. Mickey didn’t really care. 

“Again, so what? If fucking carrot top doesn’t want to study I’m not gonna give two fucks.”

“He was making out with the literature teacher. You know the one he gave chocolates to.”

Mickey felt something shattering in that moment, he didn’t know what, but he couldn’t find any words to say at all. Why would Mandy tell him this? Unless she was lying…but he knew Mandy, no matter how irritating or skanky she was, she wouldn’t lie. When he finally got his tongue back he stared her squarely in the eyes, “The fuck am I supposed to do Mandy? Just cuz I gave that shit sack a hickey yesterday don’t mean I’m a fucking faggot okay?” he explained, “I was drunk, we had to play the game and I hadn’t gotten laid in awhile so, yes, I marked him.”

“Well whatever, just thought I’d give you a lil’ heads up. Who knows he might bring the old coot to this very bed,” Mandy said patting Ian’s bed.

“Alright, fuck off. Get the fuck outta here Mandy,” Mickey growled as he grabbed her and pulled her to the door, kicking her out he slammed it shut.


	9. Chapter 9

The next few days were a living hell for Ian. Mickey was on a roll with the bullying shit and Mandy couldn’t help at all or at least she tried to stay out of it. Ian didn’t blame her. He wondered what exactly was making Mickey act up like that. Surely it wasn’t that night in the closet right? There was nothing else  _but_  that for Mickey to be angry about. It was bearable though, since it was just verbal bullying and all Ian really did would be to ignore it.

After the Drama club meeting was over that day and Ian had said goodbye to Ned, he made his way back across campus to his dorm. He found Mickey stripped down to his boxers just about ready to go and bathe.

“You’re back carrot top,” he said, “just the right timing.”

Ian raised a brow, “Right timing for what fuck face?”

“We should have a jerk off contest in the shower,” Mickey said.

Ian doesn’t know if he should be feeling embarrassed or not. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Me and the soccer team do that. We jerk off in the showers sometimes and we have a contest, see who can hold on the longest.” 

“And you’re calling me the faggot," he said rolling his eyes, "You and your fucking soccer team should just have a goddamn orgy already,” Ian muttered as he dumped his book bag down on the chair, shrugging out of his jacket and taking off his scarf.

“Don’t be a fucking pussy Ian, just fucking do it,” Mickey says.

And Ian closes his eyes, takes a deep breath to calm himself. He would  _love_ to punch the living daylights out of this fucking bastard but he agreed to it anyway. “Fine. Get in the shower fuck face, you want a jerk off competition, have at it but I’m going to win,” Ian announces as he strips down to nothing and walks into the shower.

Mickey can only stare after the redhead as he pushes past him into the shower. He hadn’t expected Ian to agree that easily. Fact is he just wants Ian. He can’t stand the thought of Ian with that stupid sick old fuck. He wants Ian to himself and if this is how he can get it, then so fucking be it. Taking off his boxers he walks into the bathroom, Ian’s already under the spray of the shower, combing back his hair. Mickey’s mouth runs dry at the scene and he’s already growing hard watching as the redhead tips his head back letting the warm spray play along the sensitive skin of his neck.

Hand already stroking his cock, Mickey enters the shower stall and Ian turns around to greet him with a smirk, the redhead following his lead and dropping a hand to his own cock and tugging at it. He watches as Ian gets into the groove, leaning against the wall, his hand moving easily up and down his cock, the water and soap acting as lubricant. Mickey gulps, he was already aching hard and as he leans against the wall, watching the redhead masturbate there’s something about it that turns him on. 

The way the water trails down Ian’s body, down his chest and past the dog tags to his stomach and the sparse bush of hairs between his legs. Mickey’s eyes continue their travel down Ian’s strong thighs, imagining them around him. He moans, stroking himself even faster, wanting it, wanting Ian.

Ian opens blue eyes to watch Mickey, he doesn’t question. It’s already clear that this isn’t a competition; Mickey is clearly just getting off on Ian’s naked, wet body. It makes him hard too but he knows how to wait, how to hold it in. Just a little longer…his breath is coming faster now and as Ian watches Mickey get pushed over the edge, cumming so fucking fast, he finally lets go of his tight restraint. He sprints the final laps to the end and on a silent scream Ian cums, spewing his seed.

Mickey opens his eyes to find Ian smirking at him, washing off,  "Told you I’d win," he brags and then walks out leaving him in the shower stall his knees weak and still panting from his release.

Shit that was one fucking mind shattering and earth-blowing jerk off. It was so much better than all the stupid magazine cut-outs of guys that he kept in the Playboy magazine. Ian's cock.... he shook himself turning off the hot water so that the shower was cold now. He wouldn't think about Ian’s cock. About how it was thick and long and the way it curved up against the redhead's stomach head all weepy and pearly white with cum. Mickey dunked his head into the cold-water spray. Stop thinking of how Ian’s lips were like fucking cherries, parted and red and inviting.

Fuck.

He pounded the wall with a fist and then cursed at the pain that shot right up his arm. Well at least that got him to stop thinking…for a while…

* * *

 

Ian thought that everything would change from that day on, yet even after that jerk off competition Mickey and gang still bully him. He’d thought that by agreeing to Mickey’s request to jerk off together in the shower everything would be fine but as it seemed, the bullying only got worse. So much so that he was being tossed slushies by Mickey and the soccer team between periods, having his desk taken out of class such that he would have to stand throughout the lesson or spend it sitting at the teacher’s table. Then the one time when he fought back with Mickey in psychology class it landed him a first class ticket to detention with Mickey.  

Ian can’t stand it anymore and when he sees Mickey in the detention room he walks right up to the raven-haired boy. He slams his hands down on the table, “What the fuck is wrong with you Mickey?” he growls staring dead straight into the delinquent’s eyes. “If you have something to say to me say it, stop hiding behind fucking fruit slushies!” Mickey calmly stares back at him. 

“What is this about huh?” Ian growls his anger fuelling him, he grips Mickey by his jacket and pulls him close, “Was it the closet? The shower? What?”

“You wouldn’t know carrot top,” Mickey says.

“Then fucking tell me!” Ian yells pushing Mickey back in the seat.

“If you want to get around here, you got to have a reputation and a bad reputation is better than no reputation at all,” Mickey says his voice deadly calm.

Ian stares at him, “You make no fucking sense Mickey. You know what? Build your fucking reputation, throw your goddamn slushies, get people into trouble but I  _beg_ you don’t take it out on me alone,” he whispers and then turns and leaves the classroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sometimes I wonder why I write Mickey giving lame excuses just to get closer to Ian and also giving lame excuses when he's really jealous of Ian and Ned. Anyway, hope yall enjoyed it!


	10. Chapter 10

After their little fight, Mickey went back to missing curfew once again. He took to sleeping on the bench instead of in the tree. Ian never made him hot chocolate again. In fact Ian distanced himself from him so much that Mickey barely saw him. He was always gone and when he asked Mandy where Ian was she would say he was at club practice or he was with professor Lishman.

It became known that the literature teacher and Ian were ‘something’ so to speak and Mickey didn’t approve at all. There was something about that Ned Lishman that Mickey didn’t like. Ian seemed oblivious to that though. What little time that Mickey saw the redhead was during classes and he saw that the other boy always wore the dog tags. If only Ian knew that he had been the one who gave those tags to him. He smiled sometimes at that thought because a part of him was always on Ian’s person at all times and he liked to think that he was there to protect Ian. 

It’s another one of those days where he’s lying in bed, smoking, reading through one of the books for an assignment. Mickey isn’t really focused on the words on the page his mind is wandering once again as it always does these days about Ian’s whereabouts. All of a sudden his phone rings. It’s Mandy. That’s strange because she rarely called him.

He reached to pick it up, “’Sup?”

“I just saw that Ned guy leading Ian into the library,” she said her voice hushed.

“Are you stalking carrot top?” he asks sitting up in bed, interest piqued by Mandy’s call. There was also a tinge of worry that sparked in him at the mention of Ned. He didn’t like that old fucking pervert.

“No…well, yes…I’m worried for his safety okay? That lecherous guy has been all over Ian in the past few days and the library’s closed today. It closed early and that Ned guy got the keys to bring Ian in. What if he…you know…” 

Mickey’s heart thumps at that, “He wouldn't. Ian’s not interested in him.”

“I’d say he is. Or at least he’s obliged to think he is. Ian’s fucking drunk or something,” Mandy whispered harshly.

“For fucks sake it’s only five and he’s drunk!” Mickey panics as he pulls on his jeans and picks up his jacket. “I’m going over now okay?” and he ends the call. He runs from the dorm, tossing the cigarette away as his legs pump hard, carrying him quickly across the distance towards the library. He spots Mandy spying outside the window ledge and he doesn’t waste a second in going to the library doors and opening them. Mickey can hear Ian’s voice in the deathly silence of the library.

“Ned don’t…just wait…”

He rounds the corner and finds Ian there, laid out on the table, the old fucker bent over him, pushing Ian’s pants down about to start on his boxers. Mickey lashes out at the professor, yanking him off Ian and slamming him back into the wall, “You stay the fuck away from Ian you sick fuck!” he growls kneeing Lishman in the balls, and throwing enough punches to make sure he stays down, “How dare you force yourself on him! He’s been drinking alcohol you fucking bastard, he barely knows what the fuck he’s doing,” Mickey says and then he’s at Ian’s side. 

The redhead reeks of alcohol, he’s so blur that Mickey has to help him pull on his pants. “C’mon, lets get you out of here,” Mickey mutters as he grasps Ian by the wrist and storms out. Ian had no choice but to follow the raven-haired boy as he looks back at the crumpled figure of Ned beneath the window.

Once they emerge from the library, Mandy runs over in their direction.

Ian shakes Mickey’s grip off, “Why are you so mad?” he asks his voice raised, “It’s not like you were the one being touched!”

Mickey makes a sound of frustration, “Oh my fucking god Ian! You fucking dumb piece of shit!” he curses and just storms off leaving Ian there alone.

Mandy runs up to the redhead and wraps her arms around her friend, “Its okay Ian,” she assures the redhead, “there’s nothing to worry about. Let’s get you back to the dorm.” 

“I don’t want to see him…” Ian said speech slurred as he pointed in the general direction of where Mickey had left.

“Okay, I’ll take you back to my dorm then,” she said as she supports Ian and they make their way across campus to the girls’ dorms. 

* * *

 

Sunday morning and Ian’s nursing a hangover in his room after Mandy brought him back earlier on. There’s been no word from Mickey since yesterday and Ian drunk as he had been he felt responsible for making Mickey disappear for some reason. He goes over to Mickey’s side of the room, the raven-haired boy hadn’t even bothered to take his pack of cigarettes, the book he’d been reading was tossed to the side, it was like Mickey had dropped everything and ran to find him…

Ian bent to take a cigarette from the pack; lifting it to his lips he lighted it as he sunk into Mickey’s bed. He takes a drag from the cigarette, blowing out smoke rings. He remembers the horrors of yesterday, him in the library and Ned about to rape him. How had he even gotten so drunk? They’d gone out for coffee, not booze. Of course it was obvious to him only now. He left for the washroom when they were at the café and Ned probably fucking spiked his drink and then in his drugged state somehow made him drink alcohol. That would be the only plausible explanation for his pounding headache.

There was a knock on the door just then, Ian looked to the door.

Mickey, hopefully.

Opening it he was surprised to find Ned there he looked pretty beaten, Mickey’s artwork. And the old geezer wanted to hug him, “I’m sorry Ian,” Ned pleads and Ian pushes him away.

“I don’t wanna see you anymore okay?” Ian says puffing on his cigarette.

“What? Was it because of yesterday? That one kid?” Ned asked.

“NO! I just don’t think we’d have made it anywhere!” Ian growls.

“You’re wrong Ian. You _loved_ me!” Ned said desperation in his voice, “You said so yourself!”

“I said no such thing you sick fuck,” Ian says his voice deadly calm, “now shut the fuck up and leave me the fuck alone okay?”  

And he slams the door in Ned’s face.

Ian doesn’t care if the professor is going to turn him in to the school board or if he’s going to take the matter up with the police. Whatever the case he would have the upper hand, like Mickey had said…he was a minor and he was under alcohol influence and drugged. Oh god. If Mickey hadn’t come to his rescue…Ian shuddered to think about the consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Putting up 2 chapters today because i've reached 100 followers on my fic blog on tumblr :)


	11. Chapter 11

As Tuesday rolls around and Ian enters psychology class with Mandy, he’s missing Mickey’s presence. He wants to thank the other boy amongst other things.

“When do you think he’ll be back?” Ian asks Mandy.

Mandy shrugs, “Longest he ran away for was a month,” she said.

“Oh…” Ian mutters his eyes looking over to Mickey’s seat. Shit, this feeling of emptiness and neglect wasn’t something Ian was used to at all. It began to bug him and a thought began to set in his head. He cared for that stupid boy. Which was why after school that day instead of doing his work, he left campus on a mission to look for Mickey. He tried the shops and convenience store nearby, asking if anyone had come in and bought cigarettes lately, then he described Mickey. Each time the answer was a negative and by the end of the day Ian had given up hope.

He was making his way back to the school when suddenly he was attacked from behind. Ian never saw it coming at all and the next thing he knew he was being thrown around like a rag doll. His first thought was of Mickey as he covered his head with his arms. _Help me Mickey, please._ The group of five or six beat down on him relentlessly and Ian could only curl up into a ball and brace himself against the beatings.

* * *

You know how sometimes you drink just a little too much and you wanted a fight? That’s really how Mickey felt right when he saw the group of ruffians, they were old geezers and Mickey thought, ‘why the fuck not’, as he whipped out his nunchuks and raced into the battle. It was only after clearing off two of the old geezers did Mickey realize that the person they were kicking, was a boy. Not just any boy, it was Ian, curled up into a tight ball.

“You fucking bastards!” he growled doubling his attacks as he kneed one of the old geezers, “Fuck off,” he roared, pushing the pervert to the curb. He took another by the collar and head-butted him sending him crashing to the sidewalk. With all but one left Mickey swung his nunchuks around triumphantly, he spat out a blob of blood staring down the last opponent. “That’s not very fucking nice of you Ned Lishman, attacking an innocent boy just because you couldn’t get in his fucking pants!”

“Mickey,” it was Ian’s voice.

“Not now Ian,” Mickey said throwing the redhead a grin, “I need to take out the trash.”

Mickey lunges at Ned it doesn’t take long to take the professor down. He’s weak as a willow and very soon Mickey has him unconscious like the rest of the group. Thank fucking heavens too because he’s just about run out of juice. Ian’s back on his feet now and the redhead comes to him, “Shit, I don’t feel too good Gallagher,” he mutters and turning he pukes up everything. Ian’s stroking his back, soothing him.

“You had too much to drink you dumb fuck,” Ian muttered.

Mickey could only grin as he nearly tripped and stumbled back against Ian, “You’re the dumb fuck. Didn’t your mother teach you not to go out late at night?” he muttered speech slurred as his vision spiralled into darkness and he collapsed.

Ian caught Mickey, holding him close as he took the raven’s nunchuks from his slack hands. He stuffed it into his back pocket and then slung Mickey’s arm around his shoulder, wincing at the pain that was beginning to blossom on his back from the beating. Slowly he makes his way across campus with Mickey leaning up against his side. He was glad that he’d found the boy. He was also still marvelling at the heroic way Mickey had fought Ned’s thugs off. Ian smiled, his cheeks heating at the fact that Mickey had been protecting him.

Kicking the door to their room open, he lay Mickey down on the floor. Then he changed out of his dirtied clothes, doing the same for Mickey as he gently took off the thug’s jacket and jeans and hung them up. He puts his phone on speaker mode as he calls Mandy, tending to Mickey’s wounds.

“Ian?” she sounded breathless, not from running breathless…more like sex breathless.

“Is now a bad time?” Ian asked thinking he should put the phone down. It was kinda embarrassing to listen to her…

“No, go on,” Mandy said amidst more breathless pants.

“Okay, this is gonna go real quick,” Ian said as he told Mandy about finding Mickey and Mickey saving him from Ned and gang. “Turns out he was drunk and then he collapsed after the fight. He’s fine though, nothing broken that I can’t fix so, yeah. Just wanted to update you.”

“O-Okay,” Mandy stuttered.

“Right…um…goodnight,” he said and then ended the call. His patient groaned and curled up against his leg, that little gesture set Ian’s heart fluttering and he let his hand brush through Mickey’s hair earning a satisfied sigh from the raven-haired boy. Ian smiled and then averted his eyes from the sleeping boy. 

This was so stupid…it was completely and utterly insane but Ian did it anyway. He kept the First Aid kit and then washing up for the night, Ian turned off the lights and then returned to create a makeshift bed on the floor between their beds. He slipped Mickey’s pillow under the boy’s head and then taking his own pillow he settled down, draping his blanket over the two of them. He glances over just to check on the other boy, he’s still sleeping. Ian shifts a little closer, feeling Mickey’s arm brushing against his side. Satisfied he settles down and closes his eyes, falling fast asleep.

* * *

Mickey snuggles into the warmth that envelopes him. The warmth smells like familiar cologne, body wash and his cigarettes. He likes the smell and he likes the warmth so much he wants to stay like that. Mickey shifts, his arms hugging the source of warmth closer to him as he nuzzles against the warmth. Said warmth sighs in satisfaction and Mickey starts at the sound his mind racing to remember what had happened the night before. He’d gone drinking again after staying at a friend’s apartment but then he’d seen a group of old geezers beating up someone. Oh yeah, that was Ned that stupid faggot professor who had been there and so had Ian…

Ian!

Mickey opened his eyes at that and found himself nuzzling up against another body. He pulled back slightly, panic rising in his chest but it’s unnecessary when he realises the body that he’d hugged tight belonged to the redhead. Mickey feels his cheeks heat and his ears too when it hit him that he’d been sleeping with Ian all along, the pillow he slept on now being Ian’s arm. Mickey lets go of his grip around Ian’s body, as he gingerly lies back down settling against Ian’s side. The redhead looks adorable when he sleeps, his freckled face close to his. The fight last night makes him ache all over and sleeping on the floor hadn’t helped one bit. But he’d earned a night with Ian on the floor. In all actuality…Mickey found it surprisingly pleasant to wake up next to Ian. He hadn’t thought the redhead would have done this anyway.

As he closed his eyes and went back to sleep Mickey felt his heart soften towards Ian. He wouldn’t say it was anything other than a feeling of mutual trust that they would share a makeshift bed on the floor together.

Mickey was still lost in his thoughts and waking dreams when there was a banging on the door.

“They’re in this dorm,” came a voice from the other side of the door.

Mickey pulls himself into a sitting position, looking at Ian who was just beginning to stir as the knocking continued.

“Police!”

“Police?” Ian whispers, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and looking at him still a little sleepy but his eyes were confused and panicky.

“The fuck I know?” Mickey says as he stands, stretching, he walks over to the door.

Ian stops him, pulling him back and away from the door, “Hide, I’ll go and answer it,” he said and then shoves Mickey into the bathroom, shutting the door.

Mickey doesn’t even have a chance to answer. So he stand on the other side of the bathroom door, ear pressed to it as he listens to what’s going on outside. He hears Ian open the door.

“Can I help you?” Ian asks. 

“Where is your room mate?” the unknown voice asks. “Is Mickey Milkovich here?”

Ian doesn’t miss a beat at all, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just got up and was about to go and chase my girlfriend because she ran off and then you fuckers appear, you’re wasting my time.”

Another unknown voice pops in, “Ian Gallagher right? It’s a serious offence if you lie to the police you know.”

“I’m not fucking lying! What the fuck? Just because I’m young and I look like a punk don’t mean that I’m going to lie. Besides me and that fuck face Mickey aren’t on good terms okay?”

Mickey was grinning from ear to ear as he listened to the conversation; gods Ian had this in the bag like a motherfucking pro. He swore he could kiss the redhead for that. 

“Ian Gallagher you will be charged for harbouring a criminal if you don't-”

Ian’s eyes flick to the bathroom when the sound of the toilet flushing fills the entire room with a roaring rush. What the fuck is Mickey even thinking! Here he is trying to save him and there the raven-haired fucker is destroying the plan.

Mickey steps out from the bathroom as though he’d just taken a piss, all eyes are on him as he emerges from the room, Ian especially is staring at him in horror.

“What can’t I have a piss without being disturbed now?” he asks running a hand through his hair as he looks around the room sizing the two officers up.

Ian looks to him shaking his head in a desperate attempt to stop him as the two policemen turns to him. Doesn’t the stupid redhead understand that he’s trying to save his skin? Ian wouldn’t last a day in wherever it was these cops were intending to take him, not with that face anyway.

“Are you Mickey Milkovich?” the taller one asks.

“Yeah the fuck you want?” Mickey asks raising his chin in defiance and eyeing the taller cop.

“You’re under arrest for assaulting Ned Lishman and four other men last night,” the police says as he produces handcuffs.

“What the actual fuck?” Mickey growls incredulous. The nerve of that pile of shit! “They were gang beating Ian!” Mickey shouted as he refused that the cuffs be put on him.

“Tell that to the judge Milkovich you’re going to have a nice time in juvie.”

Ian can only watch wide-eyed in horror as the police took Mickey away. Mickey never made that an easy job for them. As he went to the door, he spied Ned Lishman watching from the end of the hallway. The bloody fucker, he thought. Ian glared at him and flipped him the finger before he retreated back into his room, slamming the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: All police authority things/procedures etc, are for FICTIONAL purposes and do not depict whatever happens in reality so just go along with it tyvm!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: This chapter contains more police procedures etc it’s all fake and made up just to fit the story. All other names used are not intentional and purely coincidental.

“So you been up to see Mickey?” Ian asked over lunch that day.

“Nah, I sent him girl-on-girl porn last week,” she said with a little grin, “It’s the only thing he ever wants.”

“Oh…” he frowns at the salad. What had he been hoping for? That Mickey would suddenly ask for him? Ugh, that was  _impossible_  but he still wanted that to happen.  

“I don’t like having him around,” Mandy said nodding in the direction of the lunch line where Ned was. No one had heard of the scandal and Mandy had been bugging him over the past week to tell the authorities about what happened between Ned and him.

“It wouldn’t help, they won’t believe me,” Ian muttered.

“You didn’t even try it!” Mandy snapped.

Ian shook his head, “That’s it. I’m done here,” he said and taking his tray he left.  
“Ian!” Mandy called after him, “God dammit!” she cried in frustration but she didn’t chase after him. Which was good. Ian made it across the campus and back to the dorm where he changed up. The room seemed so empty without Mickey around. The dark haired boy had been in juvie for a week and three days already. And truth be told Ian missed him a ton. Checking his image in the mirror once more Ian steeled his nerves and was out the door. He was going to skip classes today to go and visit Mickey.

* * *

“Milkovich, get up, you got a visitor,” the warden said as he took his arm and led him away from the cell. Mickey wondered who it would be. He’d not gotten one visitor at all since his sentence and apart from the stupid porn that Mandy had been sending there was nothing else. So when the warden buzzed him into the room where the inmates met with their visitors, his heart leapt at the sight of flaming red hair.

Ian? Could it really be Ian?

He was walked over to the chair by the warden, “You have fifteen minutes,” the warden said and then walked off. Mickey stared at Ian across the glass. Shit he could barely believe Ian was here. He reached for the phone, Ian already holding his own to his ear. Mickey held the phone to his ear.

“I miss you,” was the first thing that angelic voice said. Gods how he fucking missed the sound of Ian’s voice.

“Say that again and I’ll rip your tongue out,” he muttered keeping it under wraps how fucking overjoyed he was to have Ian here. The only problem was them being separated by glass.

“I miss you fuck face,” Ian said and stuck out his tongue teasing him.

Mickey looks away and he hears Ian chuckle, the redhead smiling at him on the other side of the glass.

Ian puts his hand on the glass, “So how’s it been? Are you okay in there?”

Mickey tsks at him, “Don’t do that,” he says embarrassed but Ian doesn’t put his hand down. “It’s alright. Fucking jerks always rushing for bath time and all.”

Ian smiled, “You have a ton of work waiting for you when you get back.”

“You been collecting those for me?” Mickey asked incredulous.

“Yeah. I know how much you hate having to do homework so I thought I’d leave you a nice surprise when you came back,” Ian laughed.

Mickey shook his head, “Fucking Gallagher…”

They fell silent, Ian’s hand still on the glass as the redhead’s blue eyes gazed at him, “So…how long more do you have?”

Mickey shrugged, “A month? I don’t know. They just took me in for assault, didn’t even let me have a trial.”

“You should have just stayed inside that day, what the fuck were you thinking?” Ian asked.

“Saving your ass carrot top, you wouldn’t have lasted in here a minute with that face of yours,” Mickey said and in reply Ian stuck his finger out at him. Mickey followed suit and they both chuckled.

“Time’s up Milkovich, back to your cell,” the warden told him and Mickey tells him to hold on a second as he goes back to the phone.

“You need to tell them Ian,” Mickey says as he looks Ian in the eyes, “tell them about that fucking Lishman and what he did to you. You need to tell them okay?” he says and then he hangs up.

Ian’s still sitting there, long after they took Mickey back inside. He hangs up the phone and slowly he walks out of the visitation area. What does he have to loose if he was to tell about Ned? The guy can’t do anything. He spiked his drink, made him drink alcohol and then tried to rape him. Following the signs, Ian went to the office department and demanded to see an officer to talk about the case.

They sat him down in a bulletproof room with a single darkened panel from which he knew people stood behind and watched. He waited for the door to open and when it did a man in a suit entered, he took a seat opposite him, setting some folders down on the table between them.

“Ian Gallagher?” the man asked and Ian nodded.

“I’m Chief Inspector William Gregory,” he said and offered his hand.

Ian merely gave a tight smile. He didn’t trust police not at all.

“You’re here to tell me something about Mickey’s case?” Inspector William asked.

“Yes…Mickey beat Ned and the rest of the guys up in my defence. They ganged up on me and then began beating me up when I went out to look for him,” Ian said.

“You went out to look for Mickey? Or Ned?”

Ian clasped his hands, “Mickey. I was worried for him. He hadn’t returned in awhile since Saturday when he met me at the school library.”

“And why did Mickey run away?”

Ian shrugged, “He didn’t say. He still hasn’t said. But Mickey saved me from Ned that day in the library…Ned was…” he trailed off not wanting to recall it.

“Take your time Ian.”

“Ned was…he was going to rape me. He spiked my coffee when we went out for a drink and then somehow or another I don’t know but I was fed alcohol and all and then I didn’t know what I was doing. And…and he…wanted to… rape me…if Mickey hadn’t come in…”

The inspector nodded and jotted that down, “So why did Ned come and beat you up with his gang?”

“I don’t know it was a surprise attack! Maybe he wanted to punish me because Mickey saved me and that sick fuck didn’t get to have his way with me. Anyway the point is Mickey saved me on both accounts. He shouldn’t be serving time at all! If it’s anyone Ned Lishman should,” Ian said as he stared the inspector down, “Ned made the call to the police thinking I wouldn’t talk did he. Well that fucker is wrong. I’m not going to make a man suffer for something he didn’t do. So you make sure Mickey gets out okay?”

William nodded, “Your evidence is enough to put Ned in jail for twenty years, maybe more. But we’ll have to see what happens. It could take awhile you understand?”

“I understand. But you  _have_  to make sure Mickey gets out. He’s a good guy, inspector.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yes I put that juvie ep into this because how could I not! It’s one of my favourite defining points in the series. Though I did change it around quite a bit. Anyway, hope that you guys enjoyed it! :)


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Here’s the next chapter for all those who have been eagerly waiting for this! Thanks so far for the support and also for all the asks that I’ve been receiving over on tumblr. I’m slowly working my way through those :) So enjoy this chapter for now!

Two weeks later Mandy and the redhead are waiting for him at the gates of juvie. He claps the redhead on the back, “I heard you had a hand in getting me out carrot top,” he said with a grin.

“Who said that? You must be hearing things,” Ian said but grinned at him as well.

“I set him on that path,” Mandy said as if trying to make sure that her presence was not forgotten.

“Yeah yeah skank, you had your hand,” Mickey said as he hugged his sister tightly to him looking over her shoulder at Ian who was watching them, his green eyes speaking volumes. Yet Ian didn’t say a thing, he didn’t try to pull them apart at all. “What of that faggot?” he asked meaning Ned.

“35 years imprisonment,” Ian said as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

Mickey whistled, “You did good Ian,” he said clapping the redhead on the back again, this time letting his hand linger a little longer, before dropping to the small of Ian’s back as he propelled the redhead forward, “guess I have a fuck load of homework to catch up on back home don’t I?”  
Ian chuckled, “I’d say you have about the same amount as Mandy, she hasn’t touched her work either,” the redhead said and Mickey felt Ian drape an arm around his shoulder casually, the same thing done to Mandy as Ian walked between them, making this seem all casual. Smooth Ian, real smooth, Mickey thought hiding a smirk as the trio headed back to the bus stop.

* * *

As they reach the dorm Ian’s quite aware that this would be the first time they would be alone since Mickey’s return. Something had definitely changed that was for sure, an unspoken change. And Ian doesn’t know where this might lead. It didn’t necessarily mean that he didn’t like it…it’s just change…Mickey enters the room first and Ian’s left with the job of closing the door. He does this really slowly, casually turning back to glance at Mickey who was just shrugging out of his jacket and button down shirt.

Hearing the click of the closed door made Ian feel more claustrophobic, it was as if all of a sudden the room had shrunk and he could hardly breathe. Ian shrugged out of his coat and was just done with removing his scarf when he felt Mickey grab him roughly and toss him down into his bed. Ian gasped at the sudden attack and wasn’t even given enough time to fight back at Mickey tackled him into the bed and straddled him, easily overpowering him and sitting on his chest. With his hands still free Ian flailed, trying to topple Mickey but the dark haired boy was bent on holding him there and pinned Ian’s arms above his head. Ian panted, swallowing from the thrill of the fight and the blood rushing in his ears. He stares up at the other boy knowingly before his eyes are drawn to the now obvious bulge in Mickey’s jeans. Who knew their fight would get him off like that?

Mickey’s eyes follow the redhead’s gaze and in seconds he’s jumped off Ian tearing off his tank top as he helps Ian with his own shirt. Ian, that eager little shit was already grabbing at his jeans and boxers and pulling it down his hips. There’s nothing gentle about this at all it’s just the excitement and the tension and everything else that came crashing down on the both of them that has Mickey lying on his back as Ian shucks off his pants and then leans in, hovering over him.

The redhead stares at him for a moment with lust filled eyes as he slips a hand between his thighs. Mickey’s legs part under Ian’s touch. How many fucking times had he thought about this moment? Having the redhead’s fingers gently probing his behind.

* * *

In seconds Ian is eagerly slicking up his cock with lube and Mickey closes his eyes feeling Ian’s hands gripping his thighs, and then  _thrusting_ into him. It hurts. It feels like a raging flame burning into his flesh as Ian’s cock penetrates him.

He’s gasping for air to rid him of the burn that races up his spine but other than that Mickey doesn’t say a word instead he just  _digs_ his fingers into Ian’s hips, making the redhead moan. Mickey pulls the redhead to him his teeth finding purchase against Ian’s shoulder as he bites down. Ian lets out a ragged sound of agony and Mickey relents his bite licking the wound now as Ian begins to thrust into him with increasing speed.

As soon as the deed is done however, Mickey pulls himself from Ian’s arms.

“Going already?” Ian asks from the bed and Mickey shudders at the voice. Fuck the redhead already had a hold on him, just like that.

“I need a shower,” Mickey says and walks towards the bathroom.

“I could join you,” Ian offered.

“No,” Mickey answered and closes the door.

Ian lies back in bed letting out a huge sigh.

He hadn’t thought Mickey would bottom to begin with. He hadn’t thought he would even have gotten to fuck the raven-haired boy. But things had turned out the way it had and…and Mickey was now avoiding him? Ian didn’t even know what to make of this. His hand shifted to his aching shoulder wincing as his fingers brushed against the tender flesh. Once again Mickey had proven to love leaving marks on his body.

Not just his shoulder, Ian was pretty sure his neck had quite a few hickeys to show for it, not to mention his hips were riddled with small crescent marks and bruises. Ian hadn’t thought that he would have felt this satisfied over their joining…nor had he thought that he would have wanted to cuddle after having sex with Mickey. This was so stupid and Ian didn’t even know what the hell he was doing or where they were going with this relationship.

Could  _this_ even be called that?

Could they be called a relationship?

It puzzled him. He had a bit too many questions that had to be answered. Without further ado he got up, got dressed and left the room. 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yet another nsfw chapter? Yeah. I sometimes wonder if I write too much of that. Anyway, enjoy this chapter. There’s bottom!Ian…of sorts. 
> 
> Note: I have no idea how calculus works. Whatever is mentioned in this chapter is for fictional purposes.

“Ian?” Mandy was puzzled as to the redhead’s arrival at her dorm, “you got a little…” she said pointing to his neck.

Ian blushed and wound the scarf tighter around his neck, “I…uh…”

“Hey, no need to explain,” Mandy said holding up a hand, “I don’t judge.”

“Okay…” Ian said as he leaned against the wall whilst Mandy went to her desk. Ian didn’t know if Mickey had told her about him being gay yet…and he really didn’t know how to broach this topic at all. “Your room mate?” he asks looking to the empty half of the room that was neat and less goth than Mandy’s half.

“She won’t be back for awhile,” Mandy said with a shrug, “said she was leaving on a date or something.”

“I see,” Ian muttered and then gingerly sat down on Mandy’s bed.

“So, why the visit? Mickey kick you out?” Mandy asked.

“No. I need some advice about boys…” Ian said and Mandy grinned like a Cheshire cat.  

“Was it the boy who gave you that hickey?” Mandy asked wiggling her eyebrows.

_That hickey isn’t the only thing he gave me and the boy you speak of is your brother._ “Yeah, sort of,” Ian answered.

“Well go on, fire away, lover boy, Mandy’s here to answer all the questions you have.”

Ian sighed and rolled his eyes at her, “How do you know if a boy you like is in love with you?”

“Does he get that look in his eye when he’s with you?” she asked looking at him.

“What look?” Ian asked because he hadn’t really noticed anything about Mickey or looks.

Mandy smiled, “You’ll know when you see it Ian,” she said as she patted him on the shoulder. “In other news how’s fuck face holding up?” she asked and Ian shrugged.

“Same old.”

“I would go over and visit and ask to go out to dinner but, I have someone coming over tonight,” she said with that little dreamy smile.

“Oh someone special?” Ian asked.

“You bet.”

“Right. I should get going then.”

* * *

Mickey found it hard to actually  _sit_  and do any work. Ian fucking Gallagher was nowhere to be found and his ass hurt. But still the idea that the redhead wherever the fuck he had gone to would be back soon made him feel a little warm inside. He pulled the calculus paper closer and examined the working again. How could he be wrong yet again? Fuck.

At that moment the door opened and said redhead walked in.

“Where the fuck you been?” Mickey asked as Ian turned around to face him, taking off his scarf, Ian’s pale freckled skin bearing his marks.

“Out,” Ian answered as he shucked off his jeans, “you?”

“Calculus,” Mickey muttered tongue in cheek as he studied the curve of Ian’s ass, “I also ordered us Macs. I got you some nuggets and ice-cream and coke.”

Ian turned and fixed him with green eyes, “What if I wanted to go out for dinner?”

“Well cancel your fucking plans. I need your help with this shit,” he said finger pointing to the unfinished stack of work that surrounded him.

“I shouldn’t be suffering with you, fuck face. But” Ian shrugged, “you got me nuggets and coke so guess I will.”

“What the fuck! I’m not…” Ian had already fled to the bathroom, “paying…” Mickey finished shaking his head in the silence of the room. After awhile though a small smile crept to his lips, this would be like a fucking study date. He had no idea why the idea tickled him so but just the thought that he was back here, back with that fucking redhead it made him very happy indeed.

* * *

“Godammit Mickey! You got that fucking wrong again!” Ian scolded as he stuffed a long fry in his mouth and then snatched the paper and pencil from him, staring at the working.

They were sitting on the floor between their beds two collapsible tables set up as they sat across each other. Mickey was slowly finding it harder and harder to concentrate on the task at hand, his homework. With Ian sitting right across him and eating fries like he was giving blowjobs, Mickey’s mind was working on something that was completely  _not_  calculus.

“Oy,” he felt the pencil rap his knuckles as Ian called him, “are you even listening?”

“Yeah,” he said snapping out of his reverie.

“So?”

“So…” Mickey trailed off; he hadn’t heard a single thing.

Ian sighed, finishing the fry and taking another he ran his free hand through his hair, “Focus fuck face,” the redhead said as he bent forward and chewing on the fry he began to explain, “you see this number, you can’t just move it around without moving the sign. When it comes over to this side, it’s a minus you get it?”

Mickey nodded, “Okay.”

“Good. Now work it out and make sure you get it right this time.”

Mickey took the piece of paper back from Ian and stared at it. Ian had said something about moving the plus over and it becoming minus or something and then he would get a proper equation of one or another…he looked up to find the redhead watching him with green eyes, quietly chewing on another fry.

“Are you done?” Ian asked raising a brow.

Mickey shook his head, “I’m still trying…” he muttered bowing his head to do the sum once more.

“Okay, like I said don’t you dare get it fucking wrong again.”

Mickey didn’t answer as he scribbled hastily on the paper. Math wasn’t his strong suit at all. He  _loathed_  the subject with all his heart; he would literally do anything  _but_  the paper itself. He stared at his working once more and then pushed it over to Ian, “Check it.”

“Yes, that’s correct…mhmm, yeah…” and then Ian fell silent.

Mickey didn’t know if it was a good silence or a bad silence. “Well?”

“Wrong,” Ian answered.

“Fuck!” he sighed as he lay back on his bed, “Just fuck me already I don’t give two fucking shits about this fucking calculus crap,” he swore openly.

“Are you sure you’re not still hurting?” Ian asks and Mickey jerks up at that staring at the redhead. Had he heard him right? Did Ian just offer to go another round?

“Fuck you Ian fucking Gallagher, I didn’t mean that literally,” he glowered his face hot.

“We could try that,” Ian said with a coy look at him, batting his lashes.

Mickey stares at him incredulous, “Excuse me, fucking…what?”

“You can fuck me,” Ian says and his voice is serious, it’s almost as though the redhead was asking for it.

And though Mickey wanted to, “Ian I don’t…”

The redhead smiles knowingly, grabbing him by the wrist he pulls him up and then leads him to his bed, “I can teach you. It’s simple.”

Mickey is surprised at the fact that he’s going to have sex with Ian twice in a day, christ. Not once but  _twice_  in a row in one day. Yet his cock is already enjoying the idea of it as it eagerly springs to life the moment Ian pushes him back in bed. The redhead helps him out of his pants easily and then settles between his legs. Mickey can only look on in hunger, his mouth hanging open and going dry as Ian parts his lips and sucks on the head of his cock, hot, wet and teasing. Mickey moans head falling back as Ian strokes his length to attention all the while easing his cock deeper and deeper into his throat.

Ian’s done this before on a few other guys but with Mickey, holy shit, the experience was just…way off the charts. He could feel the blood pumping through his veins and the rush of adrenaline as he deep throated Mickey. The way Mickey panted and gasped and moaned for him only served as indication that Ian was fucking nailing it, he’d honed his gag reflexes a long time ago and right now he would gladly let Mickey’s cock fuck his mouth open. Strong fingers twisted in his hair and then Mickey yanked him up, his lips raw and slick with saliva, Mickey looked at him, eyes dark with lust chest heaving as he struggled to hold on to his release, “Do you want me to fucking cum down your throat you cum slut?” he growled.

“Shut the fuck up fuck face,” Ian muttered and then smashed his lips to Mickey’s letting the raven-haired boy taste himself on his tongue.

Mickey groans as Ian kisses him hard and rough his body arching up into the redhead’s advances now. He breaks the kiss in a stuttery groan as Ian’s hand grabbed his slick cock and he felt it pressing into a tight heat. He falls away from the kiss, lying back in bed eyes looking to the ceiling, panting as the tightness encompasses his cock. “Ian…” he whispers as a shudder courses through his body, his hands grabbed Ian’s hips, holding him steady as the redhead seated himself completely down on his cock. Shit it was so fucking good he could cum already.

“Fuuuuck Ian,” he panted, breath labored and shaky as the redhead headbutts him lightly nuzzling him and rubbing their noses together in what can only be called a gesture of affection.

“Shh, does it feel good Mick?” Ian whispered against his lips, green eyes staring down at him, “Does it feel good to have your cock inside me?” Ian taunted further with a knowing grin as he rocked his hips back into Mickey’s cock, the raven-haired allowing it.

“Shut it,” Mickey growls and as if in response Ian’s muscles clamp down hard around his cock drawing a loud moan from him. “Sneaky fuck…” Mickey rasps his hands running up and down Ian’s smooth, pale thighs, and Ian smirks his cheeks flushed, “Does it hurt?” he asks and Ian shakes his head, negative. The redhead shifts, hands on his chest now and Mickey’s about to ask what he’s going to do when Ian, of his own accord begins to ride him up and down using his chest as leverage.

Mickey’s gaze locks with Ian’s as he holds the redhead in place, his hips thrusting up into Ian’s tightness. Ian’s panting and gasping and he looks so fucking hot. His thrusts quicken in pace as his loins burn with fire. Mickey flips the redhead beneath him, “I want to fuck you into the mattress,” he growls and Ian apparently likes the idea of it for the redhead locks ankles around his waist and pulls him close to kiss him, tongue and teeth fucking as their bodies join.

Ian is reduced to stuttering whimpers and mewls against Mickey’s lips as Mickey fucks him to completion the raven-haired boy could fuck like a stallion and as he came inside him, Ian watched him in his state of high, his own climax following seconds after Mickey’s.

And then Mickey pulls out and all too quickly it is over. Ian grabs his arm, holding on to him, “Stay…” he asks of the other boy and Mickey looks at him, a tick in his jaw. The raven-haired boy turns away. “I still have calculus,” he said as he gets off the bed going to get the papers.

“Fucking hell,” he whispers under his breath as he turns his back to the room. Mickey can go and fucking do that calculus shit on his own, he thinks to himself. Then he feels the bed sink beside him again and something warm grazes his side.

“Wear a fucking shirt carrot top,” Mickey says.

Turning to him sideways and smiling, Ian dons the shirt, which he soon realizes is Mickey’s because of the cologne.

“Was that a tactic to get me in bed?” Ian asks as he turns to lie on his side, watching Mickey finally scribble the correct answer on the paper.

Mickey shrugs, “Maybe fucking just gets my brain thinking,” he mutters.

“Whore,” Ian hisses and then folds his arms across his chest, closing his eyes.

“Yeah yeah, get to bed carrot top you deserve the rest,” Mickey said.

Ian cracks an eye open, “You’re going to stay up?” he asks.

“What business is it to you?” Mickey mutters chewing his pen as he studies the next sum.

“Just asking,” Ian says stifling a yawn.

“Just sleep already Gallagher, you’re fucking tired,” Mickey chides.

“Don’t go,” Ian says this time really looking at Mickey.

The raven-haired boy tsk-ed at him, “Yeah yeah, close your eyes carrot top. I’m not going anywhere…” Mickey promises him.

When Ian’s finally gone silent and his breathing has steadied out, Mickey looks to the redhead. The fucker, he’d fallen asleep with a little smile on his face. He scoffed, shaking his head. Who knew this little fucker could be so needy? He shifted, lying on his back as he wrote in the last answer on the page and then getting up he went to turn out the lights and tossed the paper back on the collapsible table before he laid out the blanket and then crawled back into bed beside Ian. 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is a fluffy chapter enjoy!!

When morning came Mickey found the redhead lying against his side still fast asleep. He shifted slowly and Ian whined, pressing closer still. Gods, he really was like a little kitten needing attention. Gingerly Mickey lay back down again and let the redhead lie with him. It was still early anyway so why not spend the time in bed; after all he did like Ian sleeping against him…sort of. He draped his arm around Ian and pulled the redhead closer to him, his heart swelled with emotion as he held the other boy in his arms. Mickey didn’t quite know what was going to happen or what to call them. Just because the threat of Ned was gone…there might be others.

By midday Ian had helped him finish off his math work and was now tutoring him for psychology. They spent lunch indoors as well today with lunch being campus burgers. It was about early evening when there was knock on the door. Ian stood from his side and then went to answer it, Mandy came by all partied up and Mickey knew instantly that they wouldn’t be staying in tonight.

“Where the fuck are we going?” he asked as Mandy rummaged through Ian’s things, clearly searching for something.

“To the beach. Friends of mine invited us so I thought why not ask you guys along as well,” Mandy explained as she pulled out a sleeping bag from Ian’s cupboard.

“What if I don’t want to go?” Mickey asked looking to Ian who seemed to be completely all right with the idea. 

“Then you can stay here, Ian and I can go,” she said with a dismissive shrug going over to Ian’s desk and taking a torch light from it.

“Carrot top was supposed to help me with my work,” Mickey growled.

“You guys have been at it for  _hours_!” Mandy sighed exasperated.

“I think it’ll be fun,” Ian said fixing Mickey with a gentle stare.

“See!” Mandy said crossing her arms over her chest trying to prove her point like the spoiled brat that she was, “There’s going to be star gazing, a campfire, booze, good music everything’s good.”

“No,” Mickey said putting his foot down about the matter, “I’m staying, carrot top can go for all I care. I’ll finish up the work on my own.”

“God damn it Mickey you’re such a fucking wet blanket!” Mandy snarled and then she stormed out of the room, “Ian I’ll wait downstairs for you,” she said retreating down to the lobby.

Ian looked from the door through which Mandy had left through and then back to Mickey, “What is your problem?” he asked the raven-haired boy. “All she wants is for you to have fun after your release from juvie, why are you turning her down like that?”

“Because I have work to catch up on!” Mickey glowered.

“Oh don’t fucking lie Mickey, you never took any fucking interest in your school work, why now?” Ian asks.

Mickey averts his eyes, squaring his shoulders, “Look just fucking go okay? Like I said I can handle the work here on my own.”

Ian sighed and came over to stand before him, hands on his shoulders, his palms warm against the skin of his neck as the redhead made him look up at him, “We’ve already finished off your calculus and most of psychology and you have literature and English left so how about this, you come to the beach party thing and _enjoy_  then we’ll come back and be studious again. These are all late anyway,” Ian said waving his hand in the general direction of the work.

Mickey shook the redhead’s hold off him, feeling goose pimples rising at the other boy’s touch. Truth be told he wanted to spend more time with Ian, he didn’t so much as want to share Ian with anyone especially Mandy for that matter. His studies were the only thing that had kept them in together and now this stupid beach party had to crop up. “Fine. But I’m not going to join them in anything. Fuckers can all go and rot,” he muttered as he went to go and change.

* * *

As promised Mickey sat on the edges of the party, watching as Mandy and her friends went dancing across the length of the beach. For fucks sake it might be nice and warm in the day but the beach was the worse place to be at night, there would be strong sea winds and yet they had the balls to be out here. He wouldn’t be surprised if they froze in the night with shitty stargazing and what not. He picked up another rock from the pile gathered next to him and threw it watching as it arced long over the sand and fell in the foams of the crashing waves.

Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Ian coming back over to him two Styrofoam cups in hand.

“You’re not going to join them?” Mickey asked taking one cup from Ian, looking to the redhead in the process as he settled down next to him.

“Would you want me to?” Ian asked giving him a knowing smile.

Mickey looked away, “Don’t gimme that fucking smile carrot top.”

Ian reached across him for one of the rocks and then threw it; it fell into the waves with a splash.

“Show off,” Mickey muttered sipping the hot chocolate.

Ian grinned, “See I told you it’d be enjoyable.”

“I’m not enjoying anything,” Mickey said as he lobbed another rock after Ian, it fell short by a little bit and plopped into the foams once again.

“Not even my company?”

“Fuck off,” Mickey said as he stood with the cup and walked down to the water’s edge.

“Really Mickey you’re like a goddamn grumpy cat you know that?” Ian said as he got up, kicking off his shoes he followed after Mickey, down to the waters edge.

They walked in silence next to each other, from time to time they kicked and splashed water at each other, dissolving into laughter. Ian was walking on ahead when he felt fingers brushing against his own and then weaving into his hand, he looked back to find Mickey acting as though nothing had happened. Ian smiled, relieved and walked on ahead, holding hands with the other boy.

“Y’know the dog tags you’re wearing,” Mickey said then and Ian looked down to the twin tags that hung from his neck.

“Yeah, got them for Valentine’s,” Ian said.

“I bought them for you. Fucking wasted my money on that instead of cigarettes,” he muttered and Ian couldn’t help himself as he pressed Mickey’s hand to his lips in a kiss.

“Asshole, you didn’t leave a note how the fuck was I supposed to know who it was from,” Ian said as they made a turn around the beach and headed back towards the site where they’d started.

“I…wasn’t going to let you know…” Mickey said with a shrug.

“You should’ve fuck face,” Ian chided.

* * *

When they rest of the crowd had settled down to watch the stars and what not, Ian found that Mickey had set up their makeshift bed far from the rest. Mickey was already sitting down in the mess of blankets and his sleeping bag.

“Why’d you choose here?” Ian asked, “It’s gonna be cold out here away from the fire.”

“I don’t want to sleep next to a bunch of shit people that I don’t even fucking know. They could kill me when I sleep besides I don’t need you to fucking cuddle me Gallagher,” Mickey muttered as he settled down, lying on his side and pulling the blankets to cover himself.

Ian shook his head, choosing to ignore Mickey’s words, “I couldn’t find Mandy anywhere outside,” he said as he lay down on his side of the makeshift bed, getting under the covers.

“That skank’s probably off with some guy or another, don’t have to worry about her.”

He looked to the raven-haired boy who as of this moment has his back to him, “What if you freeze?” Ian asked.

“I would rather fucking freeze than have a fucking Brokeback Mountain scene out here,” Mickey hissed and then stiffened when he felt Ian pressing up behind him, enveloping him in warmth as he weaved their fingers together. The gesture was something that tugged at Mickey’s heart, making him feel all warm inside. He would have shaken if off under normal circumstances…but they were so far out from the crowd that he let Ian have his way. Not because he enjoyed it or anything…or so he’d like to tell himself.

“I wouldn’t want to freeze, but a scene from Brokeback would be nice,” Ian whispers teasingly against his ear and Mickey tsks at him.

“Shut the fuck up, you better not try anything funny!”

“I’m joking,” the redhead says and then presses a kiss to his head, “night.” 

Mickey sighs and he lets Ian hold him somewhat begrudgingly but later as the night draws on he welcome’s the feel of Ian close to him and willingly relaxes against the redhead as he falls asleep.


	16. Chapter 16

As though homework wasn’t the only thing that had piled up since his absence in juvie. Mickey learnt that they had dropped him from the soccer team for the time being and they would only reinstate his position after he took on another club or activity and proved to be active in it. He’d discussed with Ian and the redhead had asked him to join his club, the goddamn Drama Club. They were putting on a musical production and Mickey figured it would be enough to get him back on the team seeing as the performance was within the month. So sure, there was definitely going to be a shit ton of activities that he was going to take part in.

However he was beginning to regret the fucking choice, firstly the coach was a faggot asshole who picked on _everyone_  and Mickey didn’t like him. Secondly, the people in the Drama Club treated him with disdain because a) he was from the soccer team and b) he’d sorta made it known to them that he hated gays…which as it turned out there were quite a number in the Drama club. Now if only they knew that the one he had eyes for was their fucking star player, Ian. Mickey had never quite heard Ian sing or seen him dance for that matter and it was truly an enthralling experience. To think Ian had been in J-ROTC…

“Milkovich, you enter from stage left for the  _thousandth_ time!” the director snapped.

“That  _is_  stage fucking left! Are you blind?” he growled at the director.

“Back in line, we start again!” the director said.

There was a unanimous sigh and unhappy muttering from the crowd and Mickey wanted to punch all of them. Thankfully he looked to Ian who gave him a small apologetic smile and mouthed to him ‘you’ll do fine.’

Of course he didn’t.

“CUT!” the director hollered and everyone stopped in their places. “You!” the director said jumping onto the stage and approaching him, “When you sing, you need to feel it in you it’s a chemistry between you and the song and you  _don’t_  have it,” the director told him.

“Why the hell is he even in this production? He’s not one of us, queer hater!” one of the boys said.

“He needs the credits Kash and we don’t discriminate,” the director said.

“Fuck it. Look I don’t need this okay? I quit. I’m leaving, done,” he said and then he ran off.

Ian stood there, watching as Mickey ran away. He hadn’t thought that they would hate on him that bad, if they knew Mickey and him were together would they have given him such a difficult time? The director pinched the bridge of his nose and heaved a sigh, “Kash time out. Ian, can you please go and get him back? The rest of you we’ll continue where we left off.”

Mickey took to the rooftop of the theatre building and had a cigarette hanging from his lips as he looked out over the fucking campus. Without the help of a club or sport he was going to have a lame ass portfolio and what kind of business would he get into. Mickey for one wasn’t going to turn out like his fucking father. No. He wanted a decent job. At the sound of the door opening he turned to find the redhead coming to join him, “Hey,” he said with a casual wave as he walked over to join him at the railing.

“Why the fuck you following me carrot top?” he muttered handing the cigarette to Ian when the redhead asked for it.

“I had to get you back…director’s orders,” Ian said as he took a drag and blew out smoke rings.

“I don’t like the bunch of people you’re hanging with,” Mickey said as he stands next to Ian.

“Guess they think you’re straight as fuck so I guess they get intimidated,” Ian answered tossing the cigarette over the railing when he was done.

Mickey shook his head and sighed as he watched the redhead lean against the railing. There was something about the way Ian looked today that just made Mickey want to lean in and kiss him, Ian must’ve seen it too because the redhead chuckled and leant in ass well.

“Kiss me and I’ll rip your tongue out,” he muttered covering Ian’s lips as he backed out from the moment, he just…couldn’t… “I’ll be back inside…” he said and then turned and left.

Ian sighed he hated the fact that Mickey never kisses him outside of their room. It’s like when they’re behind closed doors Mickey would do anything with him. But come the test of going outdoors the raven-haired boy was a completely different character. Not that he didn’t like it but he’d thought this relationship, if you could call it that, would be much different. Every time they were together Ian felt different, he felt like he belonged and he wondered if Mickey ever felt that way too. Shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans Ian headed back into the theatre and continued the rest of the scene without a hitch.

That evening Ian vent his anger on the targets at the shooting range clearing them all with ease. J-ROTC training had given him the upper hand and even Mickey wasn’t on par with him in terms of this.

“You nailed it,” the raven-haired boy said as they reloaded the cartridges.

Ian made a sound of acknowledgement and cocked his gun, putting on the mufflers.

“What’s the matter now carrot top?” Mickey asked pulling the mufflers off as he turned him to face him, hand on his arm.

“Nothing,” Ian muttered shaking Mickey’s grasp off.

“Like hell that’s nothing,” Mickey said looking him in the eye.

“You really wanna know?” Ian asked and Mickey waited, “Well he wasn’t afraid to kiss me,” Ian said and then he walked away from the shooting range.

“Who? Ned? Fuck that bastard pervert wouldn’t just fucking kiss you in public Ian! He would have done more than that!” Mickey shouted after him enraged.

Ian shuts out Mickey’s voice, he knows its unfair to Mickey seeing as he’s just ‘come out’ so to speak but he doesn’t want what they have in their relationship to be just sex. Up until now that was all they ever did, just sex, sex and more fucking sex. He wanted them to have something more…he wants love…he wants to be able to hold hands in the hallway and kiss in the corner of the lockers and all that romantic shitty things. If Mickey didn’t want those things too…then maybe he wasn’t the right one for him…and it hurt Ian to think that. 


	17. Chapter 17

With the production with Ian’s club over, Mickey was reinstated to his status of ‘captain’ on the soccer team and was welcomed back with open arms. Soccer practice took up most of his time and the other half he struggled to keep up with his academic work. He didn’t have time to wonder why Ian hadn’t returned to the room for more than awhile to grab things. But to say that he didn’t miss Ian was a fucking lie.

Meanwhile in the absence of Mandy’s roommate and what can only be accounted to her spending her time in her boyfriend’s dorm, Ian chose to stay with Mandy for a while after that ‘kissing incident’. When Mandy asked why the sudden change, Ian gave the excuse that Mickey was being a disruptive piece of shit and he couldn’t study. With exams nearing, Ian really needed to focus on the papers and  _not_  on the broken relationship between him and Mickey. He’s been pulling all-nighters for the whole week and the only thing that kept him running was caffeine and catnaps that lasted for an hour or so.

* * *

Back in the silence of his dorm Mickey perked up at the sound of the door turning looking to the door he found the redhead trudging back into the room. He looked busted, dark rims under his eyes and all.

“You alright?” Mickey asked as Ian collapsed in bed curling up on his side.

“Yeah just fine. I’ll be ready to go out with you in awhile,” Ian mutters and smiles a sleepy contented little smile.

Mickey cocks his head, “I didn’t ask you out carrot top,” he says gently.

“Oh…” the redhead answers looking at him with sleepy yet questioning green eyes. Ian seemed to be pondering the thought of being asked out. It was as if he was trying to remember who had asked him out or if he had conjured up the memory.

Okay this was exactly what Mickey needed, a chance to take Ian out on a date of sorts. With the chance presented he only had to jump and grab it. So he corrected himself, “Wait a sec, I think I did ask you out,” he said and Ian smiles at him.

“Knew it,” he answered and yawned, getting comfortable in bed.

“We’ll leave right after you get a good shut eye okay?” Mickey said and Ian nodded falling asleep in an instant, snoring softly.

* * *

It was close to five in the evening when the redhead finally opened his eyes and stretched in his bed. Mickey looked up from his studies watching the redhead as he rubbed his eyes and stretched and then turned over to him.

“Are you ready to go?” Mickey asked seeing Ian raise a brow and then his cheeks reddened.

“Oh…that…” he muttered as he pulled himself into a sitting position, “I…wasn’t expecting you to hold me to it. I mean when I don’t sleep enough shit like that happens.”

“S’okay I wanted to show you a place I found anyway, just didn’t know how the fuck I would ask you so…” he said with a shrug.

“Okay lemme go freshen up and then we’ll go,” Ian said and then closed himself up in the bathroom.

* * *

Mickey led Ian to a brook at the back of the college’s campus, it was something that he’d recently discovered and to see Ian actually enjoying himself it made him smile. The redhead was balancing on the rocks that stuck up around the waters of the brook, jumping from one slippery, shiny surface to another. Mickey was on edge the whole time watching Ian like a hawk in case he slipped, “Get the fuck off you’re gonna break your face,” he muttered as he watched Ian leap from one rock to another.

The redhead paused, turning back to look at him, “You can guide me,” Ian tells him and then he lifts his hand out all Mickey has to do is to accept it.

He rolls his eyes at the other boy’s actions, “Oh god, fine,” he muttered and walked over to Ian’s side, taking hold of Ian’s hand, weaving their fingers together he walked by Ian as the redhead jumped from rock to rock. They continue on in silence headed for the stone bridge up ahead as the sun, sets overhead. There’s something about this, what they’re doing; Ian jumping from rock to rock in a brook and him leading the redhead, it seems like something from a fairytale book with the evening sun shining down on them to complete the final touches.

“You’re so childish,” Mickey muttered when he finally helped Ian down as they reached the bridge.

The redhead grinned, “It was fun you should have tried it.”

Mickey shook his head, “Nah, I was fine watching you,” he said still holding Ian’s hand they ascended the bridge together, standing at the peak now.

Ian jumped onto the ledge and sat down, patting the stone beside him. Mickey followed suit and sat next to the other boy. “So…how goes your studies?”

“Pulling all-nighters isn’t really my thing,” Ian laughed.

“Then don’t do it.”

“Can’t. I think too much about things sometimes and I don’t study so I make up with the all-nighters,” Ian explained as he sighed. Today’s little adventure with Mickey made him realize just how much he missed the other boy’s company.

“Ian,” he heard said raven-haired boy call to him, a hand on his shoulder, making him turn to face him.

Ian raised a brow at Mickey. He felt the other boy’s callused hand resting against the column of his neck; drawing him nearer and Ian let his eyelids droop as Mickey pulled him in. A soft press of lips against his own greeted him; Mickey’s thumb gently stroking back and forth against his neck. They kissed slowly, curiously exploring each other. Ian let his fingers burry in Mickey’s hair as he kissed the boy back with equal fervour and want.

When they finally pulled away, Mickey grinned, “Come back to  _our_  room carrot top,” he said.

Ian pressed his forehead to Mickey’s giving him an Eskimo’s kiss, “Fine.”

Mickey grinned at his answer, “Good, now then, we’re gonna need some booze first,” Mickey said as he hopped down from the bridge, helping Ian along.

They made it to the convenience store sneaking kisses from time to time as they went from aisle to aisle searching for alcohol. Mickey never thought that this bubbly feeling inside him would subside. He felt completely overwhelmed with emotion for Ian, it was like love, lust, passion and everything combined into one for this boy. Standing at the counter, they made their purchase, split the cost and then headed back to the dorms Ian holding his hand and leading the way. 


	18. Chapter 18

“Don’t see why you like to play songs when we fuck,” Ian rasped as he lay back in Mickey’s bed, his head and body buzzing from the alcohol and their quick fuck.

The alcohol they’d bought from the convenience store was downed on the way back after a quick dinner at a burger joint. They were such fucking animals when they reached the dorm room, tearing each other’s clothes off, eager for a quick fuck and the touch of skin yet Mickey oddly enough had to play music.

“I could turn it off,” Mickey muttered as he lay against the redhead’s side, his hand groping about on the floor for the remote to the stereo set, he came away with the bottle of alcohol instead, sitting up to drink from it he staggered over to the stereo set and manually turned off the music. “Better?” he asked and the redhead who lay naked on his bed with his eyes closed, arms splayed above his head nodded. He looked about ready to fall asleep but Mickey wanted more. Finishing the contents of the bottle of alcohol, he climbed back into bed, hovering over Ian who lay on his back.

Mickey let his hand ghost over the redhead’s body, letting his intent be known, caressing the planes of his chest, his hand wandering to his torso and back up to his neck. Emerald green eyes opened to greet him as Ian looked up at him, clearly stoned and tired, “Mickey…”

“My turn,” Mickey whispered and then pressed his lips to Ian’s chest, kissing a trail down his body. 

Ian’s weak protests fell on the deaf ears of the raven-haired boy. He’s afraid he’d fall asleep halfway through, yet as soon as he feels Mickey’s mouth ghosting softly against his hipbone and sucking softly on the indent of his hip, his body thrums to life. His legs quiver and fall apart. “Fuck…” he hisses as Mickeys hands rake up against the sides of his body, fingers moving in to tease his nipples. “Gods, Mickey!” Ian cried as the raven-haired boy tweaked the sensitive nubs between thumb and forefinger, pinching and tugging on them and making Ian whine and whimper. Ian ran his hands over Mickey’s arms, hoping to tear him away from the task “Please…” he begs, “stop…” he swore he could cum just like that.

The only thing Mickey does is stop his ministrations to Ian’s nipples, the main course wasn’t even served yet. Instead he shifts, dipping his head between Ian’s parted thighs. He runs callused hands over the pale, freckled skin, smirking as he catches Ian’s green gaze. The redhead’s cheeks were coloured with blush and his lips parted, pink tongue flicking out to wet said luscious lips. Mickey presses a kiss to Ian’s inner thigh, keeping his gaze locked with green eyes. But Ian’s head falls back, as the redhead moans, Mickey does it again, kissing Ian’s inner thigh, lips ghosting against soft skin, tongue flicking out to taste Ian’s flesh. Ian shudders and whines again and Mickey grins madly, this was fucking jackpot. 

As Mickey continues to worship Ian’s sensitive inner thighs, the redhead cries, “Oh god Mickey!” as he backed up, writhing away from him hiding his face in the crook of his arm. Ian gasped and whined like the wanton he was,  _his_  wanton Mickey thought. Of course he’s not gonna let Ian go so easily and gripping Ian’s hips tightly he drags the redhead’s body down to him and holds him close as he lifts Ian’s legs, tongue dipping into the redhead’s arse as he ate him out.

“Fuck! Mickey! Fuaahhh mmmM-Mickey Chrissst,” Ian keens and hisses he must like this just as much as him. He’s so vocal and so needy, the fingers in his hair pulling, tugging and twisting as he pushes Ian further towards the edge of his climax. Mickey shifts then, kneeling up in bed, lifting Ian’s lower body off the bed as he buries his face in Ian’s nether regions, his tongue fucking the redhead’s puckered hole.

Ian’s embarrassed beyond reasoning, his hole twitching at Mickey’s teasing tongue. It’s so wet and warm against his entrance and Ian can’t stop Mickey at all. He can only enjoy this sinful pleasure as he grips on to the sheets of Mickey’s bed. He shudders when Mickey shifts, getting behind him as they lay on their sides; Mickey’s hands part his arse, fingers sneaking to press against his nether entrance. Ian lifts his leg, pursing his lips to quiet himself as the raven-haired boy thrusts two probing fingers into his arse.

“You like that?” Mickey growls against his ear, tongue hot and wet as he licks his face, nibbling on his neck as well.

“Y-yesss,” Ian whispers hand moving to his own hard cock now, stroking himself.

“That’s it, good boy,” Mickey hums against his neck, guiding his cock into Ian’s arse once he’s stretched him out, “You like it hmm? Like it when I fuck your hole?”

“O-oooh yes hnnnghhh yesss,” Ian mewls as he strokes his cock faster, Mickey gripping his leg and hooking it over his hip. The raven increasing the pace of his thrusts now, fucking him faster and Ian cries out between pleasuring himself and rocking back into Mickey’s cock.

“Mine,” Mickey growls, “all mine, my fucking Ian,” he coos lips finding the redhead’s as they kiss just as wildly, the bed creaking beneath their rough sex.

Ian reaches to Mickey with his free hand gripping his head, loving, wanting the kiss never to end. He hungrily licks and gasps against Mickey’s mouth earning equally eager nips and bites back as they fuck. Grabbing Ian around his waist and pulling him firmly back against him, Mickey shuts the redhead up with a deep, long kiss as he shoves Ian’s hand aside, stroking Ian’s cock for him as he fucks Ian. Ian groans into the kiss torso heaving as he cums in thick pearly streaks across his chest.

“Yesss oh yesss, fuuuuck yesss,” Mickey shudders, whispering against Ian’s skin as his body stiffens now, his muscles tightening as he cums in Ian’s ass, pulling out seconds after.

Ian moans softly and turns in Mickey’s arms to face him. He smiles sleepily at the other boy, his body thrumming in pleasure; draping a hand over Mickey’s hip he pulls the raven-haired boy closer.

Mickey curls up to him, their legs intertwining as he yawns and grins sheepishly at the redhead, “Hey…Ian? I love you,” he whispers, closing his eyes.

Ian shifts to press closer, touching his forehead to Mickey’s; his eyes fluttering shut too, “I love you…”

Now the thing about drunken lovemaking is that one never really remembers what happens the night before and as it was in the case of Mickey and Ian those two never really thought that the whole night was the truth. Well at least that last bit with their little confessions and they attuned it to nothing more than a dream, neither speaking of it in the days to come.


	19. Chapter 19

_Note: I have no clue how the whole school system thing works. Also all other names used in this story are not intentional and purely coincidental. Enjoy the chapter!_

* * *

 As it is at the end of each academic year, there comes the release of exam results. And of course there’s prom. Something every freshman looks forward to…well almost every freshman, every freshman that wasn’t one Ian Gallagher that is. Ian watched Mandy packing a haversack.

“Seriously? You’re going backpacking? What about prom?” Ian asked sitting on Mandy’s roommate’s bed once again. It was beginning to feel like his own bed and Ian was wondering if Mandy chased her away every time he was coming over. She always seemed to have an excuse as to her absence after all.

“What about it?” Mandy asked without batting a lash, “I shouldn’t even be here anyway, I’m a sophomore by right.”

“Yeah sophomore who stayed back a year,” Ian muttered as he scrolled through his phone.

“You should be out there y’know? It  _is_ a freshman, junior prom thing so you should be out there,” Mandy said. “I heard that James and that other guy, the German whatshisname? They’re going together. And there’s ano-”

“I don’t need to hear a list of gay couples going to the prom,” Ian said as swung his leg lazily over the side of the bed, “I’m not going and that’s that. I don’t have anyone to go with to begin with so…” Ian finished with a half-hearted shrug. Of course he hadn’t told Mickey about this yet. They hadn’t discussed anything about the prom at all. Mickey was still marvelling over the fact that he’d managed to get promoted to second year despite his time in juvie and his minor soccer setback. Also Ian didn’t think that Mickey would want to be seen at a social event like that with him…no one knew he was gay yet…and knowing Mickey…it was best not to ask. 

“What about Mickey? You know who he’s going with? Maybe you can just sit it out?” Mandy said as she crossed over to her bed and packed another folded tank top into the haversack.

“You can ask him if you’d like,” Ian said as he stood to go, “I’m gonna head down to the school centre and pick up the booklet of courses for second years.”

Mandy sighed, stopping in her packing and came over to him, “See to it that you get to have  _some_ measure of fun Ian,” she said as she hugged him, patting him on the back as he left her dorm room.

* * *

Mickey’s been smoking and looking through Ian’s stack of fashion magazines, looking at the suits. Yes, prom is coming and well…not to say that he’s excited or anything but he  _does_  want to ask someone to go with him, someone who at that very moment was absent from the room. He looks at his phone, still no text from Ian, setting the phone down he flipped another page, practicing blowing smoke rings like Ian, still failing. Seconds later his phone begins to ring and from the tone itself he knows that it’s Mandy.

“’Sup?” he asked as he picked up her call.

“Hey fuck face, just wanted to let you know I’m not going to prom,” Mandy said over the phone. Mickey could hear the sound of canvas and zippers.

“Where y’going?” he asked snuffing out the cigarette in the ashtray.

“Hiking, the works,” Mandy answers.

“Uh huh, more like fucking in the forest,” he muttered flipping the fashion mag in boredom, “Whatever why’re you telling me this anyway, in case you haven’t noticed I’m not your redhead BFF.”

“I already told him you shit head!” Mandy flared, “Anyway I don’t care if you’ve got fucking plans but you have to take care of Ian while I’m gone.”

“I’m not sure when I put up my babysitting sign,” Mickey said.

“You know what I mean,” Mandy huffed, annoyed, “take care of him don’t let him get into trouble or get hurt. He’s not going to prom too so just watch over him if you’re not going and if you are you bring him along.”

Mickey rolled his eyes; his fucking sister had no clue about Ian and him now did she. He was  _never_ ever going to let anything bad happen to Ian not for as long as he breathed. “Yeah yeah I’ll take care of him even if it means him crashing my date and being a third wheel,” he lied.

“Good,” Mandy snapped and then she abruptly ended the call on her side.

Mickey stared at his phone and then back to the magazine, well time to put his plan into action. He dialled Ian’s number and when the redhead picked up he asked him, “When’re you coming back?”

“Soon, why? I just dropped by the convenience store,” Ian told him on the other line.

“Nothing, just asking. You were taking too long,” Mickey said and he heard Ian’s light laugh on the other line.

“I’ll be back soon, you don’t have to send sniffer dogs after me,” Ian joked.

“’Kay, cya.”

* * *

Ian eyed the raven-haired boy suspiciously as he entered the room, Mickey was lying in bed looking through his magazines, the teen fashion ones which Ian never thought he’d ever see Mickey doing. He set the groceries down on his desk and then tossed the pack of cigarettes to Mickey, “Here y’go, Parliament yes?”

Mickey made a noise of acknowledgement and caught the pack turning to watch Ian change out of his clothes, “C’mere,” he said as he shifted into a sitting position and patted the space in bed beside him.

Ian raised a brow and after hanging his jeans up he plopped down in bed next to Mickey, “What happened now?” he asked.

“Must it always be that something happened carrot top?” Mickey retorted a little annoyed.

Ian shrugged, “It’s always a surprise when it comes to you…so….”

At that Mickey lit up again with a smirk, “Good well I have another surprise for you. How’d you like to go to prom with me?”

Ian felt like the whole world had just come to a stop at those words. He wasn’t quite sure if he’d heard it correctly, “Did you just ask me to go to prom with you?” he asked.

“Yes, unless you’re fucking deaf and you need me to repeat that,” Mickey said taking on his roughish stance and tone again. “I mean everyone probably has a fucking date by now and all that since the prom’s this fucking Saturday, so I thought why not ask you…”

Ian cocked his head, “Mandy’s not going…”

“I know that,” Mickey answered.

“But there’s still going to be other people there are you sure you’ll be fine?” Ian asked.

Mickey glowered at him, “If I’m not fucking fine with the idea of me and you going to fucking prom together, do you think I would have asked you?”

Ian stifled his laugh as he bowed his head. Damn it all but sometimes the raven-haired boy could be a fucking sweetheart. “Okay, I’ll go to prom with you, fuck face.”

“Just as well carrot top,” Mickey grinned, glad that he’d made his move. 


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: YAS this is 2/8 through the whole fic. I’m crying because that is not even a joke. If you’ve stayed on this long to read I want to give a big thank you to all of you! I love you all!!!! <3 I’m probably going to condense everything into longer chapters in future posts because I am definitely not going to put up all 80 chapters  ~~it would be torture not just for me but for readers i think~~  in individual posts so yes, EXPECT LONGER CHAPTERS. Also the song in this chapter for their lil dance is [this one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sQeQC4hT10&hl=en-GB&gl=SG).**

* * *

The highlight of every prom would be the slow dance or something like that and throughout the night Ian and Mickey hadn’t really done much but stand around the punch bowl sipping on alcohol spiked punch from red cups. Which was why when the DJ announced the slow dance to be, “Falling in love with you by Ingrid Michaelson,” Ian just  _had_  to pull Mickey into a dance. Besides, almost all of the freshmen student body were cozying up to each other on the dance floor, gay or not. That and the fact that they were probably all too drunk to realise anything but their partner standing in front of them made Ian think that maybe…just  _maybe_ dancing with Mickey would be okay.

Cautiously he put his arms around Mickey’s waist the other boy scowled but didn’t say a word as he lifted his arms and interlacing his fingers locked his hold around his neck. Ian grinned and he was sure Mickey was blushing as they swayed to the gentle piano tune and Ingrid’s crooning.

_Like a river flows surely to the sea, darling, so it goes some things are meant to be_

Ian felt Mickey’s thumb gently caressing his neck as the raven-haired boy shuffled a little closer to him as they danced. He likes how Mickey seems to lean into his shoulder now, hiding his face in his neck. There’s something so intimate about this dance that they share. It’s as if the song encompasses everything that they’re unable to say to each other for fear or embarrassment or any other feeling like that. Ian presses a kiss to Mickey hair, breathing in his scent and savouring it.

_Take my hand, take my whole life too_

Mickey likes this whole slow dancing thing. Ian’s a great dancer, if dancing means swaying about in time to the music alone. He’s really happy that he asked Ian to prom with him. Mickey stiffens a little when he feels Ian’s hand reach for his left hand, prying it from his neck. He panics a little, heart fluttering and mind thinking that Ian wants to end the dance right now. But the gesture the redhead does only leads to something even sweeter. Ian intertwined their fingers and held their hand aloft, as they do in waltzes. He could feel the heat of Ian’s hand against his own, the texture of Ian’s callused palm against his own and he nuzzled further into the redhead’s neck. Fuck. He’d never been the needy one but if anything at this very moment, all Mickey wanted to do was to lie his head on Ian’s shoulder and dance the night away.

_For I can’t help falling in love with you_

“This don’t mean nothing ‘kay carrot top?” Mickey whispers against Ian’s neck.

Ian smiles, “M’kay we’ll see…”

* * *

They enter the dorm that night bubbly, warm and drunk enough only to be pink of cheek and just a little off tangent. Ian kicks the door shut, hands already grabbing at Mickey’s collar.

“I would love to tear this off you,” Ian rasped.

“No can do firecrotch, tearing off each others clothes is not a fucking option this time,” Mickey whispered as he shrugged out of the silk jacket and tossed it somewhere in the room.

“True, it would be a waste of material,” Ian muttered as he too shimmied out of his silk jacket, “plus I doubt I’d be fucking able to tear through the layers.”

“Yeah.” 

Ian tumbles to the floor with Mickey, pressing the raven-haired boy down beneath him as he pushes Mickey’s pants down the curve of his arse.

Mickey gasps then hisses as Ian grips against his hips hard, fingers digging into his flesh and drags his ass up giving an order for him to kneel as Ian rolls his hips, eagerly rutting into his still clothed arse. His briefs are the only thing that keeps them apart and he’s just so fucking eager to have Ian inside him. Mickey reaches to pull his briefs down but Ian smacks his hand away.

“Just fuck me already,” he whines, face pressing into the carpet as he looks at the redhead, towering over him exuding power.

Clearly Ian is just as eager because he swiftly pulls off Mickey’s briefs. He lets his hand caress the smooth curve of Mickey’s ass and then he smacks Mickey’s ass making the raven-haired boy groan and press back against his hand.

“Fuck…” Mickey sighs, “again Ian…” he whispers.

And Ian smacks his ass again, firmly groping Mickey’s flesh and drawing more noises from Mickey before he spits into his hand, slicking his cock up.

Mickey’s fingers rake against the carpet his lips parted on silent screams as Ian fucks him. God’s he’s never had this sort of hard fucking before and Ian, fuck the goddamn redhead fucking loved this.

Ian takes pleasure in pressing Mickey’s face into the carpet, a possessive hand on Mickey’s hip too, exerting his power over the raven-haired boy as he leans in now, draping his body over Mickey’s as he fucks him.

“Ian,” Mickey groans into the floor, his hand grips tight to Ian’s hips, urging Ian on, wanting him to fuck every inch of his ass proper. There’s no other way he would have this, no other way that he would bare himself to Ian then like this, being shoved into the floor.

Then they shift to Mickey’s bed both kneeling up.

“Up against the wall,” Ian rasps against his neck and Mickey braces himself against the wall rocking back into Ian’s thrusts. “That’s it…yesss…just like that.”

One thing that Ian notes in the haze of all this is that Mickey likes to rock back onto his cock, desperate. He presses kisses to Mickey’s neck and the bare expanse of his shoulder, pleased by all of this. To spur Mickey on he slips his hand up and down the raven’s hipbone and all along the indent of his hip, caressing his sensitive flesh, teasing the area around Mickey’s rigid cock and making him moan.

“Fucking Gallagher,” Mickey hisses gritting his teeth as his cock presses into the cool wall as Ian yanks him back by his hair and demands that they kiss. Ian’s hungry lips meet his own and Mickey devours the redhead, his tongue fucking Ian’s mouth making Ian moan as the redhead’s hand ghosts down his naked skin and  _grips_ his cock. “Fuck you…” Mickey hisses against Ian’s lips as he feels Ian’s hand stroking his cock.

“Yeah? Who’s the one getting fucked hmm?” Ian growls against his skin, nipping and licking a trail down his neck and marking his skin as they climax in that moment. 

“I fucking love you,” Mickey whispers breathing ragged as Ian falls into bed with him, spooning him.

“Me too,” Ian answers intertwining their fingers, “I fucking love you Mickey.”

“I love you…” Mickey says. He’s  _never_  felt this way before about anyone in his entire life. The emotion of love itself if completely foreign to him and yet Ian…with Ian he knows that this is it.

* * *

Soft sunlight falls into the dorm room warming the skin of two sleeping boys whose bodies are intertwined in bed. The redhead stirs first and watches his raven-haired partner as he slowly but surely makes his way out of the dream world.

Mickey blinks and stares into green eyes and it’s all at once that everything that happened the night before comes back to him, their fucking, and their confessions. His confession. His cheeks colour and Ian smirks.

“Remembering what you said last night?” Ian teases.

“Shut up…” he mutters hiding a smile behind his scowl.

“That’s not quite what you said last night,” Ian says reaching to cup his face.

Mickey’s eyes look into Ian’s and they don’t waver as he stares the redhead down, “I love you,” he said, “now you heard it don’t make me say it again ‘kay?”

Ian only smile and kisses him squarely on the lips, “I love you too Mickey.”

Mickey feels his cheeks colour, “Shut up carrot top…” 


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Okay first day back at school and all I got was assignments and deadlines and nasty teachers. I’m crying, there goes all my fic writing time out the window. I’m joking about that, I’LL FIND TIME FOR FICS because I just can’t stop writing. Anyway here’s the long overdue chapter! I hope ya’ll enjoy it!**

* * *

They’re headed back for the holidays now, Mickey and Ian going up first. Mandy said she would join only later because she wanted to visit her boyfriend’s home first before coming back so that was one of the reasons why Ian and Mickey were packed close together standing on the train as it rattled from stop to stop. Ian noticed how Mickey stands really close to him on the train and he feels all nervous and jittery inside.

He can barely breathe and his mouth runs dry just  _looking_ at Mickey. Stay calm, he tells himself as he licks his lips, taking in a shuddery breath. He presses back against the carriage, staying in the corner. The raven-haired boy eyes him and shakes his head, “You all right?” he asks.

“Maybe if you didn’t stand so close I’d be okay,” Ian answered back.

“Tough luck carrot top,” Mickey grins as he purposely shifts in towards Ian, backing the redhead into the corner as he presses up against Ian when the entering crowd jostles him. That’s the only excuse he can give if anyone was going to ask him anything.

Ian inhales sharply and puts a hand on Mickey’s hip, holding him and pushing him back slightly. “Any closer and I might not make it back to my stop you fucking ass,” Ian chides softly as Mickey teasingly grinds against him.

“Maybe I don’t want you to,” Mickey mutters.

“You can always visit y’know that right?” Ian says, picking up on Mickey’s change in attitude.

“I don’t need your charity Gallagher,” he said as he jostled the crowd back and made a path for Ian to get out of the train as it pulled into his station.

“’Kay. Drop me a text later then,” Ian says as he rather reluctantly leaves Mickey as the doors open at his stop. He would have kissed him or something like that but…well they weren’t in school any more so…he decided it best to leave him just like that.

Mickey continues on the journey alone, standing in the corner of the carriage. He  _hated_  that he had to return home alone. At least returning with Mandy he would have some semblance of fucking civility because the skank, no matter what was able to keep Terry at bay. If it was just him and his father Terry though…then things might get messy.

Walking towards his place from the station he surveys it, lights are all off, car’s in the driveway. He braced himself for his homecoming as he opened the door to his house. It was messy and smelled strongly of alcohol and smoke. He found Terry knocked out on the couch television still blaring from goodness knows when, empty bottles strewn on the ground near the couch.

“Fucking hell…” he muttered as he picked his way quietly across the mess that was the living room and finding the TV remote nestled in between empty beer bottles and empty bullet shells. He turned off the television and Terry grunted on the couch, turning on his side. Mickey froze, pausing where he was on the ground. He did  _not_ want to wake the old man up.

As quietly as possible he sneaks up to his room and throwing together some clothes in his bag, he rummages through one of the drawers pulling out two of his favourite guns a Colt revolver and one Glock 18. Mickey swiftly checks them for bullets and in the silence of the house his ears perk up at the sound of clinking bottles from downstairs. Mickey pauses, listening hard.

“Mickey?” the voice hollers, “Son? Is that you? Y’back already?”

“Fuck…” Mickey hisses as he stows the guns away in his bag. He wouldn’t have time to head back down at all. So as noiselessly as possible he picks his way across an equally messy hallway headed to Mandy’s room. This whole house was a fucking mess to begin with and as he’s pushing her room window up he hears his father’s footsteps lumbering up the stairs in his post drunken stupor.

“Mickey! I can fucking hear you up there!” Terry calls, “Why don’t y’come out and say hi!”

Mickey doesn’t bother now and just fucking slams the window shut as he makes it out the house from Mandy’s window, sitting on the big branch, he straps on his bag properly and then he’s making a move for it. He climbs down the tree and sprints the fuck away from that godforsaken house. He would only return whenever the fuck it was that Mandy decided to get back, he was  _not_  going to face his father’s shit on his own.

* * *

Ian entered the Gallagher house. It was quiet as it would be on a weekday afternoon midweek. Fiona was probably at work at that cup company. Lip would be teaching at the high school still. Deb and Carl would probably still be in school and Liam; little Liam would be at Sheila’s place. He heaved a sigh breathing in the familiar air of his home and he smiled, taking the stairs two at a time up to his old room which he shared with Carl and Liam.

His bed in the corner had been kept clean and the posters about it were all untouched. It was like he’d never left at all. With a smile he dumped his bag on the bed, shrugged out of his jacket and hung it up and then changed into more comfortable clothes. Ian was about to pull out a comic and lie in bed to read but before he could there was a knock on the door.

If anything, Ian knew that knocks on their doors usually never meant anything good. It definitely wouldn’t be Kev or V, their long time neighbours and good friends; they had access to the Gallagher house via a set of keys and the back door, or they just somehow found their way in. So Ian was a little puzzled as to whom it could be. Opening the door slightly he found Mickey standing there with a single bag strapped over his shoulder.

He smiles and opens the door wider when he realises who it is, “What’re you doing here so soon?” he asks, “You didn’t even text.”

Mickey gives him a wan smile, “Y’mind if I stay here with you? My dad’s home and I don’t wanna go back till Mandy returns.”

“Oh, okay…well c’mon in,” Ian says ushering Mickey in, “No one’s home yet so I can give you the grand tour of the Gallagher house first.”

“Sounds nice,” Mickey answered as he followed Ian up stairs. Even though he and Ian had been living in the same town since they were younger and even though they had probably attended the same schools together, this was officially his first time in the Gallagher house. To think that college had brought them together…

The redhead pointed out Debbie’s room, Fiona and boyfriend’s room, which was actually Frank’s old room, Philip’s room and then the closet and communal bathroom.

“And this is our room,” Ian said as he entered the one right at the end of the hallway, “Liam sleeps there,” Ian said pointing to the seemingly new wooden bed, “Carl sleeps on top there,” Ian indicated the double decker bed with a workspace at the bottom, “and you and I can sleep here,” Ian said as he sat down on a bed in the corner of the room that was adorned with posters, “I mean that’s unless you want another bed. Which I can find for you.”

Mickey shrugged, “It should be fine,” he said as he sat next to Ian, “thanks.”

* * *

Ian and Mickey were in the midst of preparing dinner when the house came alive, Debbie announcing her arrival with Carl through the front door as she shouted at him for making her look uncool in front of her friends. Yet as soon as she realised that Ian was home she ran into the kitchen to hug him. Carl merely nodded and said a, “Glad you’re back,” as he thundered up the stairs.

Seconds later Lip came through the back door, “Ian! Holy shit! Why didn’t you call if you were coming back!” he said immediately going to hug Ian and clap him on the back. Mickey stood watching them over the boiling water that he’d been tasked with handling. Ian sure had a nice family, who was okay with him being gay…he thought and then he wondered if Ian had told his family yet. Because it could very well seem that he was a friend brought over from college or something.

“You’re Mandy’s brother right?” Lip asked as he nodded a greeting to him, “Where’s she?”

“Mandy ain’t coming down here yet. She said she had stuff to finish,” Mickey answered, he knew Lip and Mandy had sort of had a thing going on before and well if Mandy wanted to she would tell Lip about the other guy or whatever. It wasn’t his business.

“Right. Okay, I’ll go get changed and then I’ll come help you Ian,” Lip said and disappeared upstairs.

The kitchen fell silent for only awhile before the eldest sister Fiona came through the back door, with Liam, Kev and V.

“Oh look who’s back!” V squealed.

“Hey college boy!” Fiona greeted as she set Liam down on the floor. The little boy tottered over to Ian and hugged his leg then begged him to carry him, which Ian did. It made Mickey smile; there was something about Ian carrying a child that made this scene seem very domestic.

“Fiona,” Ian greeted as he carried Liam, “Mickey and I thought we’d cook something, spaghetti. Though it’s just gonna be ketchup and like diced spam.”

“It’s like you read our minds,” V said as she carried a pot over to the stove, “I brought some pasta sauce.”

“I’ll go get some booze and I’ll be right over, we’re gonna celebrate Ian’s return!” Kev hollered as he left once again.

“Mickey…” Fiona mused as she looked him up and down, “Terry’s kid right? Mandy’s younger brother?”

He nodded; he didn’t really like the fact that he was remembered for being Terry’s kid.

“He staying the night?” Fiona asked as she set about doing the laundry now.

“Yeah,” Ian said as he put the spaghetti into the boiling water.

“You gonna need an extra bed?” Fiona asked coming over to the counter and looking at him, really looking. Okay so Ian’s family probably already knew that he was gay  _and_ his sister also probably knew that they were together…

“Doubt it,” he said with a shrug and he saw the corner of Fiona’s mouth lift a little in a smirk.

She tapped a little happy rhythm on the countertop and then jumped off the stool, “Right. Time to get the rest of them down, V, could you help set the table please?” she asked.

“Ya got it,” V answered as she moved about the kitchen gathering plates and utensils. Ian ginned at Mickey and then left his side to help V. He could tell that Mickey’s totally comfortable in his own skin here, comfortable with his family and the fact that they all sort of already knew that he and Mickey had  _something_  going. Ian really liked this. 

* * *

As night approached and the Gallagher household settled down, Ian was folding the clothes in the living room when Carl came in, resting over the sofa he casually asked him, “So…you and that Milkovich kid were never close at all. Then you return and he’s going to sleep with you? Are you two gaying?” he asked.

Ian didn’t flinch at all, he merely shrugged, “I guess you can say we’re friends now?” he answered.

“Okay. Don’t let me catch you two on the down low aight? It’s my room!” Carl said and then disappeared back upstairs.

Ian rolled his eyes. He hadn’t missed Carl’s intrusiveness one bit, that and the younger boy’s oddly sick sense of humour.

“Was that Carl?” came Lip’s voice from the kitchen as he wiped his hands down on his shirt after having finished the dishes. He then came over and sat down on the sofa to join Ian in folding the clothes.

“Yeah,” Ian answered.

“What’d he want?” Lip asked.

Ian shrugged, “He asked about Mickey…”

“And?” Lip prompted clearly wanting him to spill the details.

“And nothing.”

“So you aren’t together?” Lip assumed.

“I guess you can say we are? Sort of? I mean he doesn’t really like to go around with a fucking neon sign saying ‘Gay’ of ‘I’m fucking this guy’. So I just leave it alone,” Ian said as he stacked Deb’s clothes into a pile.

“But you  _are_  together?” Lip asked. “Like he confessed?”

“It’s complicated okay? But yeah…” Ian answered and at that very moment their topic came sauntering down the stairs into the living room, wrapped in a towel.

Ian’s eyes went wide and he swallowed past the tightness in his throat watching as Mickey approached them, “Can I use your black tank top?” he asked. Ian nodded stupidly without saying a word and Mickey just thanked him and went back upstairs. Okay first of all that was not even fucking fair that Mickey came down dressed like that. He had no right to look that hot after bath and second of all, couldn’t he just take the shirt, dress up and _then_ come and tell him. He’s such an idiot.

 _‘Your idiot apparently.’_ And he smiled.

“He should know better than to come down in a towel,” Lip teased and then he grabbed a pile of Fiona’s and Deb’s clothes, “update me y’hear?” Lip said and then he headed upstairs too. Taking Liam and Carl’s clothes, Ian used the stairs in the kitchen to get to his room. He found Mickey lying in his bed reading the comic book that he was going to read this afternoon. The raven-haired boy grinned sideways at him, “Shower’s all yours,” he said.

Ian laughed lightly as he kept Liam and Carl’s clothes, “Did you see them to bed?”

“They sorta just fell asleep when I came in,” Mickey answered.

“Carl usually takes awhile to get to bed,” Ian explained as he took out a clean set of clothes, “you must be quite fierce to have scared him into bed.”

Mickey chuckled, looking to the top bunk, “You have no idea,” he said chasing Ian off.

“Psst, hey Mickey, so can I keep it?” Carl asked as he peeked out from under the covers, holding the Glock 18.

“Only for as long as I’m staying here. Can’t have you Gallaghers hating my guts for supplying you with a killing machine,” Mickey said, “now go and sleep or I’ll take it back.”

* * *

They’re seated on the couch together now watching some silly re-run of one of the Spartacus episodes. Ian doesn’t really care; all he cares about is leaning in close to Mickey, lying with his head on his chest and a hand over his heart and Mickey’s possessive arm draped over him holding him close.

“How’d they find out about you?” Mickey asked Ian hand stroking against his side.

“Well Lip found my gay porn collection and he confronted me about it. I told him and he was pretty cool about it all,” Ian began, “A month before I was going to college I told Fiona that I was gay, she was pretty chill about it as well, probably because we were in the middle of a crisis back then but she just nodded and looked at me understandingly and she just told me ‘I know.’ As for Deb, I learnt that she always sort of ‘knew’ that I was gay?” at that Ian paused.

“And Carl?” Mickey asked.

“I don’t really recall telling that rascal. He sort of came and asked me one day after I finished J-ROTC training. He asked me if I liked guys since I hadn’t ever dated a girl before. And I told him that yeah, I did. I think he was too young to understand back then…” Ian said.

Mickey wondered how Ian’s family could have been so nice about it all. He knew for sure that should he ever decide to come out…all hell would break loose. Terry would murder him. Mandy, not so much since he didn’t quite know where she stood in all this but seeing as she and Ian were friends, his sister would most likely be alright with him being together too. It was too soon to tell anyway; he reached over to grab the TV remote turning it off he looked to Ian.

“Bed?” he asks and already knows the answer as Ian throws him a sexy smirk.

“No, you’re going to get punished for your fucking display in a towel,” Ian said pulling Mickey back down on the couch and sitting atop him.

“We’re gonna do it in your house?” Mickey asks hands running up Ian’s bare arms feeling the redhead’s muscles tense under his touch.

“Yesss,” Ian hissed already pulling the tank top off and kissing his skin, “unless you don’t want to that is?” he asks pouting at him and giving him those sad green eyes.

“I didn’t say a fucking word,” Mickey growls and pulls Ian into a kiss.

Mickey knows that he has to keep really quiet if they didn’t want to be discovered fucking like animals in heat in the goddamn living room of a house that wasn’t even his. Yet he can only do so much to hold back a sharp gasp as Ian drags his body close to him, pulling his legs tight around his waist.

“Lock them,” Ian rasps and Mickey does as instructed, locking his ankles behind Ian’s back. He presses his lips against the redhead’s neck stifling his moans in the crook of Ian’s neck as the redhead fucks him hard and fast. To say Ian is a monster in bed is only right.


	22. Chapter 22

Mickey hurts like fuck the next day and it’s all the redhead’s fault. As he stands at the stove flipping sunny side ups for the Gallaghers’, he is the exact fucking opposite of a goddamn sunny side up. And that smug fucker knew, giving him little smirks as he served toast to his siblings seated at the table.

“You walk funny,” Ian teased Mickey when he and the raven-haired boy were finally alone.

“Yeah, yeah fuck you Gallagher, who’s fucking fault is it huh?” he mutters as he washes up the dishes.  

Ian smirks and presses up against Mickey’s back, “Mine. And we can try that again tonight or later when you’re done with you’re done with your chores if you like,” he whispers in Mickey’s ear and then leaves.

Mickey shudders, pausing in the washing of plates as he is left standing there developing a hard on. Ian was hell and he loved it, to be able to freely express himself here it was something that he could never quite have asked for. When he was done with the dishes he headed up to the second floor to find Ian picking up clothes strewn over the floor of the hallway and throwing them down the chute. He followed suit and helped the redhead out.

“This is so not you,” Ian said as he shook his head in a mock disapproving manner.

“Fuck you, I  _can_  do house chores okay!” he muttered as he grabbed Lip’s socks before Ian could.

“Hey! I was going to get that idiot!” Ian cried as he dived to get Deb’s shirt and Mickey followed suit grappling with him for it. Ian laughed out loud as he wriggled away from Mickey who was tickling his sides now. “Fuck! That’s cheating! Fuck off!” he said between laughs as he kicked at Mickey to stop him missing the raven-haired boy in the midst of his laughter. He stood and balling up Deb’s shirt he tossed it down the laundry chute. “He shoots he scores!” Ian roared mimicking an announcer.

Mickey laughed and tackled Ian grabbing him around his waist as he easily lifted the elated Ian off the ground and carried the redhead to his bed. He threw him down and then pinned him there, studying Ian in the light of the sun. His green eyes were so damn pretty and his cheeks flushed from their little fight. The laughter died on Ian’s lips when the redhead realized that Mickey was really  _looking_  at him.

Ian pursed his lips. Mickey looked so serious towering over him like this. He wriggled a hand free from under Mickey’s grip and cupped the other boy’s face, smiling at him as he stroked his thumb against his cheek, “What’s the matter?”

Mickey shook his head a ghost of a smile on his lips, as he leaned into Ian’s hand like a cat, closing his eyes, “Nothing It’s just all so…domestic…” Mickey explained and Ian giggled just a little at his explanation as he pulled Mickey down to him, kissing him softly on the lips. He thought Mickey to be rather endearing and cute when he made such comments and Ian smiled into Mickey’s lips.

They were perfect.

This was perfect and nothing, no one could destroy them or what they had.

“Domestic be gone,” Ian whispered teasingly as they pulled back from the tender kiss, “how ‘bout a game of basketball?”

“One on one?” Mickey asked eyes lighting up at the challenge.

“You bet,” Ian answered and Mickey let him up.

They head down to the basketball court that Kev usually uses to teach the b-ball kids on the weekends. Of course it’s empty at this time of the day when everyone’s in school or at work. They establish which sides are their goals and then the game begins. What Ian lacks in strength he makes up for in speed as he dribbled the ball across the court, jumping high he dunks the ball into the hoop and gives a victory yell.

Mickey swoops in then trying to get the runaway ball but as soon as Ian sees him doing that, the redhead sprints towards it and has it in his hands. Mickey grabs Ian around the waist, attacking from behind as he hugs him tight trying to get the ball from the redhead.

“Ay, that’s cheating!” Ian laughs as he struggles In Mickey’s tight hold, “No contact in the game!”

“Yeah? I don’t quite remember that,” Mickey said as he hit the ball away from Ian.

“Fucking cheater,” Ian growls as he tackles Mickey to the ground.

“It’s no-”

Ian kisses him to shut him up and though Mickey likes it, he can’t do it here. He pushes Ian away gently and the boy looks to him with confused green eyes. “Not here,” Mickey says softly. He’s afraid that other’s would see and tell, tell his father. Ian nods giving him a wan smile and helps him up.

This is the first time Mickey’s ever rejected him and Ian understands him but he’s just a little annoyed at it. “I’m starved, let’s go get something to eat okay?” he asks as he picks up the basketball from where it had rolled off. He doesn’t let this incident bother him any more.

As they walk towards the diner that the blonde girl that Lip once knew – Karen, that is – worked at, Ian spies a Harley sitting in the driveway. That’s strange you hardly saw any Harley’s in this town and to see one, especially a shiny black one, it made Ian wonder just who it belonged to.

“Sweet ride,” Ian commented as they approached it.

“We could take it for a spin if ya like,” Mickey said to which Ian grinned.

“If it’s not owned by Karen or Sheila,” Ian countered after all there  _had_  been that period of time where Karen Jackson, Sheila’s daughter had gone through some Goth rebellion phase and did everything in black even her hair.

As they entered the diner and took a seat in a booth in the corner, Ian couldn’t help but to  _stare_  at the waiter that came to take their order. He’s tall, big and strong with broad shoulders and he clearly likes to flaunt it wearing a sheer tight black tank top that fucking  _displayed_  his muscled arms. For a split second he wondered what it would be like to be held by them, to be broken by this real life looking cowboy in jeans.

Mickey kicked the redhead’s shin under the table, “Close your fucking mouth Gallagher, they’re gonna need to mop your drool up.” He could feel it all right the green flames of jealousy eating at him as Ian fucking stared at the ripped Cherokee looking piece of shit. He didn’t like it but he couldn’t show it.

“What can I get for you two?” the waiter asked.

“I’d…um…I’d like breaded fish sticks, fries and a Coke,” Ian said smiling at him.

Mickey scowled, “Same,” he answered.

“Right so that’s two orders of breaded fish sticks, fries and Coke,” the waiter repeated and Ian nodded at him, grinning.

Was the redhead even  _trying_  not to flirt?

“Jody?” came the familiar high-pitched voice and Mickey thanked the fucking stars as the blonde appeared at their table next to the waiter, Jody.

“Oh! Ian! When did you get back!” she exclaimed as she proceeded to hug him.

Mickey fumed, what was it about people hugging and all that? It irked him. Especially her, she just seemed so fake as all blondes were. “And you,” she said turning to him, “Mickey right?” He rolled his eyes at her, “No shit.”

“Well, Ian, Mickey,” she began, “This is Jody Silverman whom I met at Sex Anon and we’ve been dating for awhile,” Karen boasted as she hooked his arm, “actual dating.”

Ian didn’t seem fazed at all by her complete lack of embarrassment on the matter and well, Mickey sorta always knew the kind of person she was so he was okay too.

“Um congrats?” Mickey supplied and she giggled.

“Thanks,” she said and then tiptoeing a pressing a kiss to Jody’s cheek she sauntered off.

“Lucky guy huh?” Ian asked as if to make matters worse.

Jody grinned, “Yeah, Karen’s really nice,” he said looking after her as she left, “anyway better get your order’s in. And don’t even think about stealing the Harley in the drive,” he teased, walking away from them, “saw ya’ll looking at it.”

“I’ll try,” Mickey said watching as the threat left.

Ian scowled at him, “What the fuck was the kick for?” he asked.

“What the fuck else? You going fucking nuts for the cowboy,” Mickey hissed.

“Can’t help it…” Ian said with a little shrug, “sorry…”

“You should be.”

And then Ian grinned at him and leaned in as if to tell him a secret, “Is Mickey Milkovich actually jealous?”

Mickey scowled at the redhead, “I’m not jealous, I’m territorial,” he said.

“Liar!” Ian scolded with a grin, “You’re fucking jealous!”

“Shut the fuck up,” Mickey growled as he grabbed Ian’s hand to silence the redhead, “Next time you try flirting again I will fucking blow the brains of the boy you look at aight?”

Ian laughed and then as quickly as he could he dropped a kiss to Mickey’s hand, “What if I flirt with you?”

“That’s the only time when flirting’s acceptable,” Mickey answered, pulling his hand away from Ian as he felt his cheeks heat. Fucking Gallagher, making him blush. What an idiot the redhead was, his idiot.

* * *

It wasn’t even a day later that Ian fell sick with one of the worst fucking bouts of gastric flu ever. It all started that night after they came back from the diner and they were having dinner. Mickey had Ian next to him as they ate together, the other Gallagher siblings all happily seated around them at the dining table. Ian’s only had like one slice of pizza and he’s already stopped eating. He’s just sitting there as the rest of them talk and laugh. Mickey doesn’t know if the rest of the siblings don’t notice Ian’s way too quiet, but he does.

Mickey reaches for the redhead’s hand, resting on his lap, he takes it in his, “You okay?” he asks softly so as not to draw too much attention.

Ian nods and doesn’t say anything, only giving his hand a subtle squeeze.

“Sure?” Mickey presses because Ian’s looking hella pale.

Ian barely says another word and dashes from the table to the toilet that’s less than a few feet away. In seconds he’s bent over the bowl  _retching_  and then he’s puking up  _everything_. Mickey runs in to help him, stroking his back as he comforts him. By then the rest of the Gallaghers’ had stopped in their tracks and they were all watching them.

“Hey…it’s gonna be okay…” Mickey comforts stroking Ian’s back as the redhead grabs the tissues and wipes at his mouth. He rests for mere seconds on his knees and then he’s back at it again, this time puking up what seemed to be undigested lunch. Mickey can feel the bile rise in his throat, yet he stays.

“Here, rub some of this on his neck,” Fiona said as she passed him a bottle of medicated oil.

Mickey does as she says uncapping the bottle and dabbing the oil on his fingers he rubs it into Ian’s neck.

“Temple and behind his ears,” Fiona continued and Mickey nodding, does so as Ian pants, resting.

“Water…” Ian whispers and Mickey’s about to leave his side Fiona hollers, “Deb! Get Ian some warm water!”

Seconds later Fiona’s handing him a warm mug. Mickey’s still stroking Ian’s back as the redhead flushes the horrendous things down. “Here,” he said as he handed the mug to Ian to drink.

“Here let him sit,” Lip said as he brought a stool over.

Mickey makes way for it, helping Ian to sit down on the chair. They gather there the household of Gallaghers’ and him, watching over Ian as the redhead drinks from the mug. He lets out a sigh of relief and then leans back against the wall, eyes closed.

“D’you wanna go upstairs?” Mickey asked as he took the cup from Ian and passed it back to one of the siblings standing behind him, possibly Carl he didn’t notice because he was too focused on getting Ian to fell better.

Ian shook his head feebly, “I’ll be fine…” Ian muttered, opening his eyes to look at them as he smiled a little.

“I’ll stay and watch,” Mickey told the rest of Ian’s family as they looked from Ian to him.

Ian smiles at him and closes his eyes again leaning against the wall. Mickey doesn’t dare to take his eyes of Ian for a moment and rightly so because it’s only a few minutes later when Ian jerks up and he’s doubled over, poised above the toilet bowl. The same thing happens and Ian throws up all the water that he’d taken just now. Mickey catches him as he staggers back down into the seat this time not even bothering with wiping his mouth.

Gently Mickey settles Ian against the wall and then grabs some tissue as he wipes the redhead’s mouth clean, throwing the tissues down the bowl and flushing it.

“We should take him upstairs,” Fiona said as she came to the door again, forehead creased with worry.

“You take his feet, I’ll take his head,” Mickey says and carrying out the plan they get Ian into bed with little struggle.

The redhead falls off to sleep easily his head resting on pillows that Mickey had propped up so that he wouldn’t feel too much like puking. Mickey sits there now with Fiona standing watch over them, “What happened to him?” she asked nodding her head at her brother.

Mickey shrugged, “I honestly don’t fucking know…” he muttered pursing his lips as he saw perspiration beaded on Ian’s brow and his face drained of colour. “What do you think it is?” he asked looking up to Fiona.

“I dunno, it could be migraine Ian used to get them and puke,” Fiona said.

Mickey shakes his head, “He looks so pale…”

“He’s sick,” Fiona said lightly putting a hand on his shoulder. Usually Mickey would have shunned the touch of others but this time it felt nice, almost as though he was being comforted by Fiona, like she was accepting him into their family. It was stupid but the idea made him smile inside.

“I’ll go get him a bucket, you watch over him,” Fiona said and then she disappeared leaving him and Ian alone.

Ian turns on his side then, looking at him he gives a wan smile, “Sorry you have to go through this,” he mutters.

“Whatever the case I’m gonna be here okay? You just rest.”

Ian nods and closes his eyes. Mickey stays next to Ian sitting in the chair as he reads from the comic book, he’s made sure that the bucket is close enough so that should Ian feel like it any time then he could easily throw up and didn’t have to run to the bathroom. As the night draws on he can hear Fiona and Lip chasing the kids off to bed. Carl comes in to the room and stands next to him, “What was Ian’s puke like?” he asked.

He rolled his eyes at the question, “Now’s not the time,” Mickey muttered as he turned to look at Carl, really, didn’t the boy understand the situation? “Your brother’s sick and you ask me what his puke’s like? It’s horrible enough he has to go through it.”

Carl cringed, just a little disturbed, “Does it hurt?” he asked.

Mickey wanted to sock the kid, “What do you think? Having to puke your guts up?” he asked.

“Carl. Bed. Now,” Fiona said sternly as she came into the room with Liam in her arms.

“Ian better?” Liam asked as Fiona tucked the little boy in.

“Ian’s on the way to being better,” Fiona assured him as she kissed his forehead, “goodnight Liam.”

Carl climbed up into his bed following Fiona’s orders, “Night Carl,” Fiona said as she looked up at the younger who was just getting under the covers.

“Yeah, night,” Carl responded, turning his back to the room.

Mickey had to hand it to Fiona, she was one hell of a sister and a mother-figure. “You should go and sleep,” he tells her not really knowing why. He never usually cared for others.

Fiona smiles, “I still gotta help Lip wash the dishes and do the night laundry,” she said and then nodded in Ian’s direction, “Anything?”

Mickey shakes his head, “He’s fine, just sleeping fitfully.”

“I’ll leave you in charge here then,” Fiona said and then she leaves the room.   

Mickey must’ve dozed off because when he wakes up it’s to retching sounds and Ian hunched over on the floor next to the bucket. “Shit…” he curses as he goes to Ian’s side. e holds the redhead close, comforting him now that he’s done. Nothing came out apparently and Ian leans into him, he’s crying just a little, wiping at his eyes quickly.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” he asked softly as Ian leans against him.

“Didn’t want to disturb,” Ian mutters.

“How many times was that?” Mickey asked.

“Fifth…” Ian whispers as he shudders and presses closer to Mickey’s warmth, trusting the raven-haired boy’s strong arms around him to protect him from this sickness.

“Look we gotta get you to a doctor okay?” Mickey said as he dropped a kiss to Ian’s head, standing he helped Ian into his jacket and then told him to wait, sitting him down on the bed whilst he went to wake Fiona.

Light sleeper that she was, Fiona was up and ready in seconds as she and Mickey helped Ian into the car. They drove to the nearest 24-hour clinic, Mickey sitting in the back with Ian resting against his shoulder, clearly struggling to hold down the urge to puke. Fiona glanced at them through the rear-view mirror, “He’s holding up fine?” she asked looking at Mickey.

He nodded, “Fine,” he answers leaning his head to Ian’s. Mickey just wants to be there for the redhead, if he could he would gladly transfer the sickness to himself just so that Ian didn’t have to suffer. 


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: I’m so fucking glad that the weekends are here. My first week back to school has been hell and UGH and I’ve never appreciated weekends more than right now. I finally get to write something that isn’t school related! Huzzah! Anyway, enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Once they reach the 24-hour clinic, Fiona tells Mickey to go and take a seat with her brother as she registers for Ian. Unfortunately for them they’ve got quite a number of patients before them.

“He’s going to have to wait,” Fiona tells Mickey as she returns to stand with the two boys.

“How long?” Mickey asks, clearly pissed.

Fiona shook her head and shrugged, “The lady said at least 45 minutes.”

“That’s fucking bullshit!” he growled standing, “watch Ian,” he said to her and then went to the counter. Fiona knew there was no point stopping the boy, so she sat with her brother, his head against her shoulder as he muttered something about stopping Mickey from making a fuss.

“Hey lady, look here,” Mickey said calling the receptionist to the counter, “you said 45 fucking minutes waiting time that it?” he asked and she nodded with indifference. “You’re gonna fucking let him in when this next patient comes out ya hear?” he said as he pointed to Ian.

“The patients all have numbers to take sir,” she said, unfazed as she packed medicine.

“Fuck them! Fuck the numbers and the fucking queue system,” Mickey growled, “He’s been fucking puking his guts up since dinner and that was like what,” he stares at the clock, “eight or so hours ago. He’s fucking tired and it hurts so  _please_ just let him go after the next person,” Mickey said and then softened his tone now, “Please.”

The lady heaved a sigh and stared him down, her features softening a little, “Fine, you go in when the next patient come out.”

“Thank you,” Mickey said and then walked back to where Fiona and Ian were. “We’re next,” he told Fiona and she gave him a grateful smile and nodded as she told Ian the news.

The redhead opened his eyes to look at him and smiled at him wanly, “Thanks Mickey,” he said and Mickey gave a little ‘no biggie’ shrug. He would do anything for Ian.

Once the doctor diagnosed Ian as having a bad case of gastric flu, stemmed probably from reused oil from the fried fish sticks, they collected the medicine at the counter and then drove back home.

Mickey made sure Ian took all the pills and then he let Ian settle down into bed before he went to clear the pail and replace it just in case. When he headed down into the kitchen to wash the cup Ian used he found Fiona sitting at the dining table.

She looked to him as he came down, “How’s Ian?” Fiona asked.

“Asleep,” Mickey answered as he washed Ian’s cup, “I gave him everything save the antibiotics, he said he couldn’t swallow it just yet, so I didn’t force him.”

“Thank you Mickey,” Fiona said, gratitude clearly showing, “for taking care of Ian.”

“Nah, it’s fine,” Mickey answered as he refilled Ian’s cup with water, “it’s the least I can do.”

“He’s hardly ever obedient to taking medicines,” Fiona said, “I’d say it’s mostly because he was always fit and when he did get sick it was always pretty bad and the doctor’s would give him meds but he’d refuse them saying that he’d get better soon enough anyway. So I got kinda worried when he went of to college alone. Y’know he doesn’t even write or send e-mails to tell us how he’s doing. At least I know now that you’re there to take care of him.”

“Uh…it’s nothing really. Ian and I didn’t really have a good start per se,” Mickey muttered as he settled at the table opposite Fiona. He could still remember the first day he met the redhead, moving in with this huge bulky box. Their first encounter ending with both of them equally bruised.

“But he seems to be fine with you now,” Fiona said.

“Yeah, I guess,” Mickey answered.

“In all honesty, he’s really lucky to have you,” Fiona told him.

“Same here,” he said chewing on his bottom lip. He sorta knew where Fiona was going with this, like the mother hen that she was, she was trying to get information from him about where he and Ian were at with their relationship of sorts. And truthfully though he knew where he stood with Ian, Mickey didn’t know what to tell her so he just avoided the topic as he made an excuse, “anyway, I should probably get back upstairs. I don’t wanna leave Ian alone for too long,” he said starting back up the stairs, “you should get to bed too,” he told her and she nodded.

“Will do.”

Once he’s back upstairs he finds Ian still awake, lying in bed. Mickey sets the cup down on the desk at the foot of Ian’s bed as he settles down on the mattress, “Hey you should be sleeping,” he told Ian as he puts his hand to the redhead’s forehead, “you’re still running a fever,” he said.

Ian shook his head, “Can’t sleep,” he muttered, then asked, “what were you and Fiona talking about?”

“What’d’you mean?” Mickey asked.

“Fiona was still awake when you went down to wash the cup. You stayed down for so long, what did she talk to you about?” Ian asked as he shifted in bed making space for Mickey to crawl in.

“She said you didn’t talk to them much when you went to college so she was kinda worried for you,” Mickey told Ian as he settled down in bed, drawing Ian against his side, “Fiona also told me how you hated to take your meds when you were younger.”

Ian chuckled, leaning against Mickey, head resting on his shoulder, “She wasn’t a very good nurse.”

“Oy, what’s that mean carrot top,” Mickey scowled.

Ian grinned and shifted slightly to press a kiss to Mickey’s neck, “Only that you’d make a good nurse for me.”

“Shit, if this is one of your sick fantasies I’m out,” Mickey teased.

Ian fell silent and Mickey thought that he’d overstepped but when the redhead spoke again, he knew it wasn’t that at all, “I’m glad you’re here with me,” Ian whispered.

“Don’t go all soft on me now Gallagher,” he muttered closing his eyes.

“Really Mickey, I mean it. I’m lucky to have you,” Ian said truthfully.

“And I mean it when I say go to sleep Ian,” Mickey said smiling to himself.

Ian tsked, “Bossy. G’night fuck face.”

“Mm yeah, night carrot top.”

They were silent for a while, both trying to see if the other was really truly asleep as they listened to each other breathing.

“Hey Ian?” Mickey asked.

“Hn?”

“Shit you’re supposed to be sleeping you ass,” he chuckled, “I love you.”

Ian laughed softly, “You’re fucking mushy you know that Mickey?”

“Yeah shut up,” Mickey scolded turning slightly and dropping a kiss to Ian’s head.

“I love you too,” Ian whispered back.

* * *

The thing about their neighbourhood, everyone’s a thief, a liar and a ne’er-do-well. And yes they’d grown used to it but sometimes there were some things that would get on your nerves and this was one of it. Mickey stared after the spoilt brat that had offended Ian, calling him a faggot and refusing to apologize. No one was allowed to call Ian that, well except him but he meant it in an endearing manner.

“Mick, it’s alright, chill out,” Ian said with a shrug, “I get that from the kids at school last time just let it slide.”

“Fuck no, we’re going to teach that fucktard a lesson,” Mickey growled picking up the groceries off the counter as they headed out of the store. They saw the guy getting away in a shiny red Ferrari. “It’ll not be hard to miss that,” Mickey said with a grin.

“What exactly are you planning on doing?” Ian asked as they walked in the other direction that the car had taken.

“We have eggs at home right?” Mickey asked.

Ian smiled, “Your home or mine?” he asked.

“Ay, you know what I mean, our home,” Mickey said.

Ian nodded, “Yeah, Fiona just bought some the other day, why?”

“We’re going on fucking adventure tonight,” Mickey grinned his evil intention written all over his face.

* * *

“That’s it, that’s the one,” Mickey said as they walked down the street of the ‘well-off’ sector. “C’mon,” Mickey urged swinging the crowbar in hand as he walked down the street.

“What if they see us, they’ll throw you back in juvie,” Ian said and he couldn’t have that.

“Nah, these fucking newbies don’t even know us. We run once the alarm goes off. We’ll be fine!” Mickey assured.

“Okay,” Ian said trusting him.

“Ready?”

Ian nodded and they raced towards the house, throwing eggs at it and screaming at the top of their lungs calling the owner expletives and shit. Ian egged the car now and Mickey smashed in the windows with the crowbar.

“Who’s the fucking faggot now you fucking loser!” Mickey yelled as he smashed in the last window, the alarm already blaring loudly.

Lights were all coming on in the row of houses and Ian grabbed Mickey’s hand, “C’mon let’s go!” he said and they made their escape running away as fast as they could all the while laughing at the Ferrari owner’s demise.

“That’ll teach them,” Mickey huffed as they rounded the corner and leaned back against the brick wall in a quieter area of town, catching their breath.

“You’re such a fucking sweetheart,” Ian breathed as he leant in and kissed Mickey.

“Yeah? You’re not too bad yourself carrot top,” Mickey grinned, nipping Ian’s lower lip, “Look at you firecrotch,” he rasped groping at Ian’s cock.

“You’re fucking asking for it,” Ian growled as he flipped Mickey around, pressing the raven-haired boy against the brick wall. He had his pants down in seconds and Mickey’s followed soon after pooling at his knees as Ian ground his clothed cock against Mickey’s covered ass.

Mickey moaned, hips undulating as he ground himself back against Ian’s hardness, “Fuck me out here Gallagher,” he rasped as he reached to tug at Ian’s briefs.

“Slut,” Ian whispered against his neck, sucking on his skin and worrying it.

“Yesss,” Mickey hissed hands reaching to pull his cock from his briefs.

“No,” Ian whispered darkly in his ear, “I’ll do it for you,” he said as he lifted Mickey’s arms pinning them to the wall as he single-handedly stripped them of their briefs.

Mickey  _loved_  it when Ian dominated him like this, rendering him completely powerless as he did him out here in the most crude way ever. He shuddered as Ian spit and let his fingers spread his saliva against his hole. Ian prepped him quickly fucking him with two fingers and making him cry into the hard brick wall before gasping as Ian’s thick length filled him up.

“Shit…ahhh…ohh fuuuuhhhkkk Ian…” he breathed as Ian reached to grab his cock, squeezing him and pumping his length as the redhead began to move his hips, thrusting into him.

Ian hummed in satisfaction against his neck, pressing kisses up and down Mickey’s shoulder as he fucked him into the brick wall, stroking Mickey’s now slick, throbbing cock as he went along. He laved Mickey’s skin in saliva biting him and worrying his skin, drawing low moans and whines from Mickey.

“Ian…” Mickey whispered, “fuck me…yesss Ian fuck me like that…haaahh!!”

Mickey stiffened against his body arching into him, his cock twitching he came in Ian’s hand. Ian released Mickey’s hands and gripping the raven’s hips he rode out his release until he came in Mickey’s ass. Ian was still panting, resting against Mickey’s back when a sound called him back down from the high of their sex. He was rather confused as to what it was or where it was coming from.

“Your phone firecrotch,” Mickey teased as he shifted and began pulling up his briefs and jeans.

“Oh yeah…” Ian swallowed, breathless as he got dressed too and pulled the persistently ringing phone from his pants pocket. “It’s your sister,” Ian said looking at the caller ID and then looking to Mickey.

“Answer it,” Mickey said picking up the crowbar from where it had fallen just now.

Ian tried to still his breathing and pursing his lips he answered the phone, “Hey Mandy.”

Mickey watched as Ian took the call. Trying to guess where it was all going with only Ian’s side of the conversation.

“I was just out running, why?” Ian said into the phone looking at him and Mickey grinned. He knew which question that was.

“Oh, you’re coming back tomorrow?”

At that Mickey scowled, with Mandy back he would have to go back to that wretched house.

“No, I didn’t forget. I mean, it’s just…two weeks passed kinda fast I guess?” Ian said.

“What? I’m not disappointed Mandy. I’m glad that you’re coming back! I am!”

Mickey rolled his eyes. ‘That fucking skank.’ He mouthed and Ian slipped his hand over Mickey’s mouth, telling him, ‘She’s your sister!’ before going back to talking on the phone with said sister of his.

“Yeah I’ll be at the station to pick you up, sure.” Ian assured her, “yeah, okay bye.”

“Fucking skank,” Mickey mutters as they leave the little quiet street. He knows this means it’s time’s up for him because he’d told Ian that he’d leave once Mandy came back.

“You know you can still stay right?” Ian said as they walked back to the Gallagher house.

“But what about Mandy?” Mickey asked, “She’ll know.”

“Oh yeah…right…” Ian answered as he looked at his feet, walking down the cemented sidewalk. He wanted to ask if Mickey was ever going to tell and then he decided not to because he knew where that would lead to; a quarrel, and Ian didn’t want that.

“So…I guess I’ll just thank your family tomorrow morning at breakfast or something?”

Ian tried to hide his pain with a laugh, “Or something. Well they’ll be bound to miss you Mr. Sunny Side Up,” Ian teased, “but all good things have to come to an end…” he said trailing off as he remembered the words that Monica had told him just before she’d been taken into rehab a long time back.

“It won’t be the end, I promise you. I just need to get adjusted first,” Mickey assured the redhead, “I’ll figure something out. You’ll see.” 


	24. Chapter 24

“What you’re leaving already?” Carl bursts at the breakfast table that morning as Mickey announced that his stay at the Gallagher house had come to an end.

Mickey knew that the only reason why Carl was reacting like that was because he would be taking back the Glock 18 as promised when he first got here.

“But you made the best eggs!” Carl added making it seem like he would really miss his cooking. Mickey stifled the urge to roll his eyes and instead settled to brush it off with a shrug, “I’m sure Ian knows how to cook eggs.”

At that there was a unanimous laughter around the table, “That’s the one thing he can’t cook,” Debbie said as she finished off her cereal.

“Despite it being the simplest of the lot,” Lip added.

“Excuse you guys, but I’m still here!” Ian added as he put Mickey’s toast in front of him, “I just simply wasn’t born with the talent for cooking eggs okay?” he said in his defence as he settled to lean against the backing of the chair that Mickey occupied.

“Well you should learn,” Mickey retorted. 

“You will visit right?” Fiona asked, finishing her cup of coffee as she went over to the sink to wash up. Mickey got the feeling that she was asking that on Ian’s behalf, still fulfilling the ‘mother hen’ duties that she was so accustomed to.

“’Course,” Mickey answered as he bit into the warm buttery toast, “if ya’ll will have me over then yeah I’ll visit.”

* * *

It’s about noon when they fetch Mandy from the station. She’d been texting Ian non-stop that morning and the only reason why Mickey went down to the station with Ian was so that he didn’t have to get jealous about them spending time together while he was left out…not that he was  _that_  jealous…but being jealous isn’t bad right after all they were  _something_  now.

As expected Mandy was literally all over Ian as she ran off the train. She enveloped Ian in a huge hug and kissed him on the cheek, “It’s so great to be back!” she squealed.

“How was the boyfriend?” Ian asked.

Mandy rolled her eyes, “Bummer. I mean yeah he was nice in school and all but he’s totally not my type when it comes to outside the school.”

And then Mandy turned her attention to him, “Ew fuck face why are you here?” she asked almost accusatory but not quite.

Mickey rolled his eyes at her, “Came to collect the skank,” he muttered slinging his backpack over his shoulder.

“That’s really sweet of you. I wasn’t expecting it at all,” she cooed in pretentious harmonium, linking her arm through his.

“Well I guess I’ll get going I need to do groceries for the family. We ran out of eggs,” Ian said looking at Mickey pointedly and grinning as he jogged onto the train. “Drop me a text if you’re coming by again okay?”

“Yeah will do,” Mickey answers giving Ian a little wave and watching as the train pulls out of the station. “Let’s go,” he mutters untangling his sister from around his arm. He trudges back to the house, the cool November air and dark skies mimicking his dour mood. He was relieved to find that Terry wasn’t home and after putting his clothes in the laundry he retreated back to his room.

Lying in bed with rock music turned on he feels like doing  _nothing_  at all. It’s like all the life force had been drained out from him. He turns on his side, pulling out his phone as he creates a new message.  _‘I’m fucking bored.’_  He sends it to Ian.

_‘That was less than 10 mins. Go play a game.’_

_‘Nah, too lazy, x-box is downstairs. Not moving from bed.’_

_‘Imagine me there with u then.’_ Mickey grins at that text.

_‘Y would u b here?’_  he replies Ian’s text.

_‘Becuz I miss u asshole!!’_

_‘R u sure it’s not cuz u miss my asshole?’_ Mickey types.

_‘;P both’_

“You sick fuck,” he mutters as he types a reply.  _‘U wanna come over 2night?’_

_‘Depends.’_

Mickey frowned at the reply.  _‘Depends on what?’_

_‘On who’s doing the fucking ;P but really I might not be free Fiona called just now, said she’s going out for a company dinner so I gotta secure dinner for the Brady bunch lol.’_

Mickey sighs he  _does_  want to drop by to see Ian even though they haven’t been apart for fucking long…Maybe Mandy might too seeing as she and this ‘boyfriend’ broke it off. Well at least it gave him something to do, he trudged over to Mandy’s room, “Oy, the Gallagher’s are having dinner you wanna come?” he asked knocking on her door.

“Since when did you get invited?” Mandy asked as she came to the door.

“The fuck I know? Ian’s short-staffed,” he said, “Fiona’s going out for the company dinner so he’s gonna make something for the younger ones,” Mickey explained.

Mandy shrugged, “Sure why not, lets go help out a friend,” she said and then shut the door, “Give me the details when you know it” she said from the other side of the door.

Mickey stood there and texted Ian a reply.  _‘Mandy and I can come over to help, what time do u want us to go over?’_

_‘Srsly? Is this one of ur plans?’_

_‘Didn’t say so. Well? Yes or no?’_

_‘Yes. Be here at 6?’_

Mickey grinned in delight,  _‘Ok, cya later carrot top.’_

“Mandy we’re to go over to the Gallagher’s by 6!” he shouted to her through the door and then returned to his own room. He didn’t care if she turned up or not but he was definitely going to go.

* * *

Dinner turned out to be nice…well for Mandy and Lip that is because those two made up in seconds and if Mickey didn’t know any better they had a quick fuck upstairs before they came down to dinner. He and Ian though had less than that. Despite being called back to the house to help, it was Mandy who spent half the time hovering about Ian and helping him literally  _asking_  the redhead if he had anything else for her to do.

“Even at the dinner table fucking  _Mandy_  had to sit between us like what the fuck!” Mickey exploded into the phone as he fell into his bed slamming the door behind him, “Didn’t she have your brother to bait or something, fucking hell,” he growled as he stood, kicked off his jeans and holding the phone against his shoulder he shrugged out of his jacket.

“I guess she just misses us Mick. I don’t know,” Ian sighed on the other line.

Mickey returned to the comfort of the bed, “Stupid skank,” he muttered.

“You want me to make it up to you?” Ian asks his voice taking a sexy dip in tone.

“How?” Mickey nearly squeaks his heart racing at the thought of Ian coming over and the redhead’s sexy voice.

“You’re in bed?” Ian asks softly curiosity ringing in his voice to the point that it was almost teasing, like as though his voice had hands and were just now trying to run said hands over his body.

“Yeah…” Mickey answers breathing deeply, hand resting on his fluttering stomach. What was the redhead going to do?

“Good,” Ian purrs into the phone, “now I want you to touch yourself according to my command and imagine that I’m there with you okay?”

“Goddamnit Gallagher,” he mutters but his free hand is already moving under his tank top ghosting fingers over his flat stomach.

“Let your fingers move to your nipple,” Ian instructs and Mickey’s hand moves up slowly. He closes his eyes, shutting out everything as he listens to Ian’s voice on the phone that he holds like a lifeline to his ear, “slowly, I want you to tease yourself. Tease your nipple, are you doing it?”

“Y-yeah,” Mickey stutters into the phone his index finger trailing softly over the tight nub of his nipple, teasing it as he rubs little circles around the nub, shivering under his own touch as the tender nub of his nipple grows harder with each little swirl.

“Imagine that that’s my tongue on your nipple and now I’m biting down on it, nipping it tenderly and suckling on it like a babe,” Ian narrated.

Mickey gasps as he took his sensitive nipple between thumb and forefinger and tweaked it, imagining Ian’s hot mouth on his body. It was enough to make him grow hard.

“Now I want you to move your hand down your body,” Ian continues his voice soft, hypnotic and yet commanding, “slowly, carefully take off your boxers, ease them off your hips. Imagine my hands pulling them off you, pulling them off your hips and caressing your thighs.”

Mickey bites his lower lips stifling a moan as he sheds the boxers, parting his thighs. Eyes still closed he lets his hands ghost over the expanse of his bare thighs, smoothing over his skin according to Ian’s voice. “That’s it up and down your thighs, I like to tease you Mickey, I don’t want to touch your cock yet, no, I want you to  _want_ this to  _want_  me.”

Mickey shudders, he’s needy as fuck for the redhead. He wants to have Ian fucking  _physically_ present, “Fuck me…Ian I want you…” he whispers into the phone as his hand continues to tease his thighs and hips, moving awfully close to his erection.

“Shh good boy, that’s it, open your eyes now,” Ian says and Mickey does, “tell me what you see.”

“I…I-I’m aroused what else?” Mickey whispered.

“Good,” Ian says laughing a little, “but tell me the state of your dick, I want to know,” he purrs.

Mickey’s cheeks heat in embarrassment, but he begins, “I’m thick, and hard…and my cock’s wet as I think of you. I want your mouth on it Ian, I want you to suck me off and then let me fuck your mouth.”

Ian moans on the other side, and chuckling he says, “Now move your hand to the base of your cock and tug on it, slow. And then move your hand up and down. Imagine that’s my mouth on your cock,” Ian purred, “I’m sucking you off, bobbing my head and letting you  _fuck_  my mouth.”

Mickey groaned, licking his lips as his eyes fell shut again, his hand working his cock faster.

“You like it?” Ian asked.

“Yesss” Mickey hissed, “Oh fuck yesss I love it, your mouth on my cock like that-”

“God fucking damn it!” a drunken voice shouting snaps Mickey completely out of his groove, “Son next time you want to have sex just fucking invite her over already!” his father snaps words all slurred like as he slammed the door shut again. Mickey’s frozen there heart racing, denied his release. Thoughts are running through his mind at the speed of light and he’s fucking scared. The fear gripping him tight.

“Mick?” Ian’s voice is cautious on the other side, just a little shaky in tenor and Mickey knows Ian’s worried for him.

“I-I…my father…” Mickey stuttered, “fuck!” he cursed punching a pillow.

“What happened?” Ian asked.

“He saw.”

“And?”

“Fucking nothing, he was drunk. He said I should just take  _her_  home!” Mickey said, “He didn’t find out thank the fucking universe. He wasn’t supposed to be at home! He wasn’t fucking supposed to be here!” he whispered voice breaking as he felt the tears gathering in his eyes at the horror of his father finding out.

“Mickey, hey he was drunk, I can assure you he won’t remember much,” Ian said, “My father’s drunk half the time too and he never comes home, barely even cares about us so we just treat it like he doesn’t exist,” Ian opened up to him.

“Frank’s different,” Mickey muttered.

Ian sighed, “I guess…”

“Look I’m sorry okay?” Mickey apologized knowing Ian must’ve been halfway to completion too.

“What the fuck are you apologizing for fuck face?” Ian says, “It’s not your fault okay? None of this is. In fact I should be the one telling you sorry because I talked you into phone sex…”

“Yeah but if I didn’t want it I would have said otherwise,” Mickey scolded.

Ian giggled, “We’re both to blame then,” he said.

“Can I see you tomorrow?” Mickey asked.

“I don’t recall giving you a restraining order,” Ian teased him.

“Okay I’ll let you know,” Mickey told him, a plan already forming in his head as they said their goodnights.

* * *

Ian hadn’t heard anything from Mickey since their call last night and he is kinda worried for Mickey seeing as he’d sorta gotten him into trouble the night before with his brilliant idea of phone sex. He’s constantly checking his phone through breakfast and doesn’t even notice Fiona talking to him until she taps him on his shoulder.

“I said, you don’t have to worry today Ian I’ll be home early to do the cooking,” she said as she stood at his side.

“Oh um yeah…” he answered.

“I heard the Milkovichs came over,” Fiona continued.

“Yeah, Mickey and Mandy said they’d lend a hand,” Ian explained as he checked his phone again.

“You expecting a message from someone special?” Fiona asked.

Ian shrugged, “It’s not that important,” he lied.

“Okay,” Fiona said letting it slide, “well see you later when I get back, don’t get too bored.”

As the hours ticked by and morning gave way to afternoon, Ian lay in his bed, reading another  _Captain America_ comic. He’s almost reaching the good part where Bucky and Steve fight when Carl comes into the room, noisily setting his things out on the desk, “Hey Ian?” he begins.

“Hn?” Ian answers still focused on the comic.

“When do you think your friend’s coming around again?” he asks.

“Why?” Ian asks back.

Carl shrugs, “Nothing just wanted to know,” he said.

That got Ian to put down the comic because knowing Carl, when he dropped the subject like this there was _something_ and he needed to know…especially if it involved Mickey.

“Why do you want to know?” Ian asked as he stared at his younger brother, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

Carl looked at him, “Your friend lent me a gun, Glock 18, I need it back before Lil’ Hank comes so that I can show him that I’ve got my own handgun too,” he answered.

Ian thought it would be bad but this was nothing, he laughed, “You had me scared shitless there for a moment. I thought Mickey gave you military grade grenades or something!”

“Wait does he have those?” Carl asked his eyes lighting up immediately.

“What? No!” Ian says before the little terrorist can think any further, “No I doubt he does,” he said, he wasn’t exactly sure about that anyway but if it kept Carl safe then yeah, “Why’d he lend you the Glock?”

“Cuz I told him that I wouldn’t go to sleep if he didn’t?” Carl answered.

“Wait he brought  _guns_ with him here?” Ian asked a little taken aback at the idea but knowing Mickey…he wasn’t too surprised.

“Yeah I know awesome right? He had a Colt revolver too but I didn’t want that. Glock’s better it’s got more fire power,” Carl said as he talked about the specifics.

“So Mickey let you keep the gun for as long as you listened to him and for as long as he stayed here?” Ian asked, trying to conjure the image of gangster like Mickey bargaining with a kid to go to sleep and giving him a fucking gun.

“Yep, he’s pretty cool so I don’t mind if you gay with him,” Carl said and Ian laughed, shaking his head as he went back to the comic. Well Mickey had earned the boy’s approval and from the looks of it Mickey had charmed Fiona as well what with the time when he’d gotten sick and that two week span where he’d helped him to cook breakfast for the rest of the family.

Ian checked his phone again, still nothing.

Damn it all. He was really beginning to miss Mickey. He felt like he’d taken the time they’d spent together at the dorm for granted. There they could see each other every day with no one to bother them, no parents, no siblings. His eyes scanned the words on the page of the comic book not really digesting it. As they say absence makes the heart grow fonder…but Ian wondered otherwise. What if absence meant growing apart?

As evening sweeps into the town Ian’s given up hope of meeting Mickey for today. He’d most likely call him later before he slept and ask him if he was all right or not. He was watching the stew that Fiona had put together when there was a knock on the front door, Ian really didn’t feel like moving at all so he looks to see who else is down here in the kitchen.

“Can someone please get the fucking door!” he yells hoping one of them upstairs would hear him.

Fiona comes racing down into the kitchen in her sleep wear, “I’ll get it she says rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she ran a hand through her hair and grabbed her sweater off the pile of unwashed laundry.

* * *

Mickey knocks again on the door, adjusting his backpack on his shoulder as he glances around.  _‘C’mon Ian…c’mon…_ ’ he thinks as he taps his foot. His other hand holding a sort of peace offering for the family, four doughnuts that he’d went down to buy specially for them. It wasn’t enough to go around but with what he was intending to do…he hoped it would suffice. He can hear footsteps on the other side of the door and he readies himself, running a hand through his hair and making sure that he looks good. Then the door swings open. It’s the eldest sister; she looked like she just got up.

“Mickey,” she said staring at him, “what’re you doing here?” she asks clearly she hadn’t been expecting him.

“Um…I uh…” he purses his lips, looking to his feet. It was kinda awkward, he was expecting Ian to open the door for him, “Is Ian in?” he asks looking into the house.

Fiona smiles, “Yeah he’s in, watching the stew, c’mon in,” she said inviting him in.

Mickey enters the house and from where he is he can see the redhead in the kitchen, his back to him as he entered and he smiled.

“Ian you’ve got a visitor,” Fiona announced and Ian turned around rather reluctantly he really didn’t want to see any one but…

“Mickey!” he exclaims grinning as he sees the raven-haired boy standing in his living room, backpack over his shoulder.

“Hey,” Mickey greets with a smirk.

Fiona left them to it as she went back into the kitchen from upstairs Carl and Debs raced down to see what the ruckus was about.

“You’re back!” Carl said grinning, “Ian and I were just talking about you!”

“Huh you were?” Mickey asked looking to the redhead.

“Yes and  _you_ are not supposed to lend guns to underage kids as a bribe,” Ian chided, “I could have you taken to jail for that,” he continues folding his arms across his chest in a mock ‘angry police’ stance. 

“Would it help to say that I’m going to be staying here?” Mickey asked and Ian couldn’t fucking help himself as he flung his arms around Mickey in a hug.

“What?! Are you serious?” Ian asked kissing Mickey on the lips, fuck the rest of them there, he was too fucking elated to care let alone contain his desire.

“Yeah, serious,” Mickey said grinning against Ian’s lips as he lifted the peace offering, “I also brought these there’s only four though but…I thought it best to get you guys something since I’m going to be staying over.”

Fiona joins in her brother’s jubilation as she takes the bag of doughnuts from Mickey, “It’s more than enough Mickey, thanks.”

“No, thank you,” he told her and Fiona smiled, happy at Ian’s choice.

“You know you need to stop dropping by without texting you asshole,” Ian said as he takes Mickey’s hand and leads him from the living room, going up to his shared bedroom. And through it all, Mickey doesn’t care. He loves Ian and he’s glad that he made the choice to come back to be with him in a house full of people that were nice and warm and accepting.

That night they lay in Ian’s bed talking, Ian pressed up against his side, head resting against his shoulder.

“Did you tell Mandy?” Ian asked him.

“Tell her what?” Mickey asked back, his fingers trailing up and down Ian’s arm lazily.

“Tell her that you’re going to stay here?”

“No. I just left, I don’t need to tell that skank anything,” Mickey answered.

“She might be worried you know,” Ian said as he shifted now, turning on his side and pressing back into Mickey’s chest as he reached for Mickey’s hand, weaving their fingers together before he pressed a tender kiss to the raven-haired boy’s hand.

Mickey nestled his face in the crook of Ian’s neck, “I would rather worry her than you,” he whispered before propping himself up and kissing Ian’s cheek.

“Idiot,” Ian whispered as he turned slightly and kissed Mickey on the lips, “goodnight.”

“Night,” Mickey echoed as he closed his eyes and fell into a comfortable sleep with Ian in his arms. 


	25. Chapter 25

They were in the grocery store that day getting things to stock up the house, following Fiona’s list and Ian had in a moment of affection leaned over to peck Mickey on the cheek but he was rejected with a rather harsh shove away and a single word, “Don’t!”

Of course he should’ve known better…he doesn’t say anything, only grabs the two bottles of milk from the top shelf of the chiller and then heads over to the counter to pay as if nothing had happened at all.

Mickey knows he’s at fault once again. He doesn’t like hurting Ian like this but the thing is that he can’t stop being too cautious when they are out of the Gallagher house. He’s scared that Terry would just pop up from nowhere like he did last time bursting into his room when he had been on the phone having a ‘conversation’ with Ian. Sure if they were back at the house he would have gladly have let Ian kiss him anywhere despite being under the watching eyes of his family. But the thing is they aren’t in the privacy of their home and out here, he felt vulnerable. No one but Ian and the Gallaghers’ and maybe Kev and V knew that he and Ian were together now and Mickey knows that though Ian doesn’t really like that he just deals with it for his sake.

Ian’s the kind of guy who wants to express his love, Mickey understands that but…sometimes he just didn’t know when was a good time. It wasn’t his fault, Mickey thought as he slid the carton of eggs next to the milk on the counter, grabbing a Snickers bar from the candy section and adding it to the pile. He casts a sideways glance at Ian, trying to gauge the redhead’s emotions but as Mickey had quickly come to learn, Ian could school his face to show nothing at all.

He knows that for as long as they’re here, they aren’t safe. They can’t touch they can’t do anything in public not even hold hands lest his father finds out somehow through his fucking mafia channels and shit. Which is why Mickey really wants the holidays to end so that he can return back to the ‘safety’ of the school campus.

As they walk towards the diner for lunch, Ian makes sure to keep his distance from Mickey, nothing too far though, just…not as close as he would have liked should they have been back at the campus. He’s a little miffed at Mickey’s rejection in the store just now, but he blames himself because he  _knows_ where Mickey stands on that issue and yet he’d just gone ahead without thought. It’s upsetting though that they’re doing all this just to keep away from being discovered by Mickey’s father. It’s unfair, shouldn’t they be allowed to express their emotion freely? It was acceptable almost everywhere else, they could be together without anyone caring and then there was Mickey’s father…

As Ian adjusts his hold on the grocery bag his hand accidentally brushes against the back of Mickey’s. The raven-haired boy immediately snatches his hand away going so far as to tell him, “I’ll walk ahead first.”

To say Ian is disgusted doesn’t even begin to cover what he’s feeling at that moment. He watches as Mickey walks on down the street to the diner. He’s more than just annoyed now. Fuck, he wasn’t even trying to fucking hold Mickey’s hand, that wasn’t a fucking attempt and Mickey was fucking overreacting. It was a goddamn accident! Fucking asshole. Walking on ahead first, what a lame fucking excuse.

* * *

Lunch was uneventful and as they stocked up the kitchen side by size Ian felt Mickey’s hand brush against his, “Ian…” he began.

“Fuck off,” Ian muttered shutting the fridge a little too forcefully as to hear its contents rattle before he went to do the laundry.

“Goddamnit Gallagher you know I can’t help it!” Mickey bursts.

Ian doesn’t answer as he picks up the clothes from the laundry pile putting them into the wash.

“Okay fine, the kiss in the grocery store was my fault,” Mickey said coming to his side, “but you  _know_  better than anything to try to hold my hand on the street.”

Ian shut the machine with a bang, “You  _think_  I was going to hold your fucking hand?” he scoffed, “Bitch I fucking  _know_ that you don’t like that. So why the fuck would I do it? I was just fucking adjusting the goddamn grocery bag and it was an  _accident_ that I brushed against your hand! Fuck! I know I can’t do fuck with you outside the goddamn house Mickey and I wouldn’t try it if it means putting you in fucking danger of your fucking dad!” he growls and then turning on his heel he retreats to the comfort of his room, slamming the door and locking it. He doesn’t give two shits if Mickey wants to come in.

That night at dinner there is a tense, awkward silence as they eat, a heavy atmosphere surrounding them. Fiona looks from Ian to Mickey, seeing them not in their usual places, which was next to each other, was disconcerting. When she caught Ian’s eyes she gave him a ‘what happened’ look, indicating Mickey.

Ian merely rolled his eyes and looked away.

Okay so they weren’t talking that was for sure and Fiona wondered if the situation was really bad or not. Ian finished his dinner without another word and went on to washing up the dishes. Lip joined him later when the rest of them had retreated to their rooms upstairs.

“What happened between you and Mickey?” Lip asked him as he dried the plates and stacked them back on the rack.

“Nothing. Petty quarrel,” Ian muttered as he flicked the last plate dry and joined Lip in drying it.

“Sure don’t seem like it,” Lip commented.

“It’s none of your business okay?” Ian snapped, he hated when people pried.

“Just asking,” Lip said as he backed up, “if you don’t want to let me know then that’s fine. I just thought you might want someone to hear you out.”

“I’m fine,” Ian told him.

* * *

Mickey’s still towelling his hair dry as he stands at Ian’s bedside, watching the redhead sleep, curled up to the wall of posters, back to the room. He can’t tell if the redhead is awake or not and he doesn’t know if he should sleep in the same bed as Ian. He wants to…but after they fought…he’s not so sure. In the end he still settles for sleeping with Ian though because he can’t bear the thought of not having to. He’s grown pretty used to sleeping with the redhead and the thought of not having someone else there in his bed when he wakes up in the middle of the night or something is just a little strange to him.

Ian feels the bed sink under Mickey’s weight and he feels Mickey’s back pressing against his own, just subtly, as Mickey settles down. As far as Ian can remember this is the first time that they’ve gone to sleep without resolving their quarrels. It’s also probably the first time that Ian feels that he and Mickey are something like a married couple still sharing the same bed despite their quarrels. He stows the thought away. What he needs is a good night’s sleep not thoughts about getting married and shit.

* * *

Morning doesn’t bring any change Mickey realises because Ian’s still being cold to him. He can’t confront the redhead until everyone has left. Once Lip leaves the house with Liam to take him over to Sheila’s, Mickey looks for Ian finding him keeping the folded clothes.

“Can we talk now?” Mickey asks and Ian just pushes past him going into Debbie’s room and leaving her pile of clothes on her bed. It’s like as if the redhead didn’t want to acknowledge him at all, “Ian I’m fucking talking to you. How long do you intend to do this?” he asks watching as the redhead takes Lip’s pile from Fiona’s room and deposits it in the older boy’s room.

“As long as I intend to,” Ian mutters stalking past him into ‘their room’ as he puts Carl’s clothes into the drawer followed by his clothes and Ian’s own.

“And how fucking long is that huh?” Mickey asks grabbing Ian’s arm as soon as the redhead shuts the drawer.

Ian shakes his hand off, “How the fuck should I know?” he growls, turning away from him for a split second before he whirls back around, “Let me ask you, are we a couple or not?”

Mickey grabbed the redhead by his shoulders pushing him down into the bed as he hovers over him, “What do you think?” he mutters as Ian stares up at him wide eyed and shocked at his actions. Mickey shifts his grips from Ian’s wrists to weave their fingers together now, “Course. Of course we are a couple,” he answers as he lowers himself to Ian’s body and leans in to kiss him on the lips.

Ian didn’t know why he doubted Mickey in the first place but he just had to ask, “I just thought…yesterday and all that…your over reaction and,” he shrugged looking away from Mickey, “I dunno…”

“Ay, look at me Ian,” Mickey said nudging Ian’s chin to make the redhead look back at him, “I’m not good with these relationship things to begin with and…fact is you  _are_ my first relationship,” he said seeing Ian’s cheeks colour pink at his words, “Back here in this town…I just can’t be who I am with you when we’re in campus, you know that. I can’t fully be myself when I’m not at your house. Out there…” he shook his head swallowing past the tightening in his throat, “out there…”

“Hey Mick, it’s okay, you don’t have to explain it…I know,” Ian whispered, enveloping the raven-haired boy in his arms as he hugged him to his chest, “It’s okay. It’s only going to be awhile more before we go back to campus. It’ll be fine,” he said breathing in Mickey’s scent, feeling his heart pumping against the raven’s own in unison.

Little did he know that this would only be the beginning of all their problems to come.

* * *

Ian burrows down into the sheets, it’s oddly cold this morning. In his bid to get warmer he pulls the sheets tighter around him. Oddly enough the sheets come away easily. In fact the blanket seemed to be too big for him…that could only mean one thing…Mickey’s gotten up early. He pulls himself into a sitting position, rubbing his eyes as he runs a hand through his hair. A look around the room tells him that Carl and Liam aren’t around either, had he slept in? Couldn’t be…

He reaches for his phone it’s already past lunchtime. Fuck. Usually he and Mickey would wake up late on weekends, which had become their designated rest days since they always woke up early to make breakfast for the rest of them. But this was way too late. Pulling on his sweater his freshens up. Its way too fucking cold for his liking so Ian changes into track pants instead. That’s when he notices that Mickey’s bag is gone; his backpack that sat at the foot of the drawers was gone. It struck a chord inside him, warning bells ringing in his head for some reason.

Pushing that gut feeling away, he heads downstairs to the kitchen, “Look who’s finally up,” Fiona greets him, she dressed in layers of clothing as well, “so seems like the cold finally got to you?”

“Did we forget to pay the bill?” Ian asked.

“Fiona forgot to bring it down to the mailbox,” Lip explained as he motioned for him to sit down at the table, “so we’ll be all nice and frozen till next Wednesday at least.”

“Hey I forget sometimes okay. Plus you had the time, Lip!” Fiona muttered as she blew on her hands, trying to warm them up.

As Lip put the warmed up food in front of him, Ian asked them, “Have any of you seen Mickey?”

“No,” Fiona says.

“Nope,” Lip answers taking utensils for him.

Ian stares at the left over slice of Lasagne, watching the steam rise into the air, “He took his bag with him,” Ian said as he took a bite, savouring the warmth of the food.

“Maybe he went to get a change of clothes,” Fiona offered.

“He said he didn’t need to…we shared,” Ian muttered as he ate heartily.

“What about Carl?” Lip suggested, “Maybe he might know something.”

“Carl!” Ian shouted across the kitchen at his brother who was sitting in the living room attached to the television with Debbie as they waded through some alien shooting game once again.

“What!” Carl shouted back.

“Have you seen Mickey?” he asked.

“He was there in the morning, dunno where he is now,” Carl answered, then cursed, “fuck!”

“Carl!” Fiona warned.

“Ian you made me lose!”

“You just aren’t a very good player,” Debbie added in triumph, “another game?”

“You’re on.”

Once Ian was done with his Lasagne he dumps the dish in the sink, “I’m gonna go look for him,” he says as he rushes back upstairs to change. He’s getting more and more worried with each passing moment. Mickey wouldn’t just up and go like that without a word, or a text for that matter, he thought as he checked his phone again.

“Could you drop by Kev and V’s place and ask them if we could borrow a heater or two?” Fiona asked him as he was putting on his boots.

“Yeah sure,” he answered as he laced them up.

“It’s probably nothing, you know,” Fiona told him, this was her trying her best to comfort him and Ian smiled and nodded.

“Probably. You need me to do anything else? Groceries?” he asked.

His sister shook her head, “No you have the day off soldier,” she said with a smile, then added, “but you can help me to drop off the bill at the office on Monday!” as he started across the street to their neighbours house.

Knocking on the door he calls out, “Hey V! It’s Ian!”

“Comin’!” he hears her holler from somewhere in the house.

V opens the door dressed in her leopard print robe and Ian doesn’t even need to look twice to know she’s been at it again, making porn vids and all, “What’s the matter?” she asks.

“Our heater’s down, Fiona asked me to ask you if we could borrow a heater or two of yours,” he said, hands in his jacket pockets.

“She busy?” V asked.

“Nah I offered, besides I wanted to ask you have you seen Mickey?”

V shook her head, “That Milkovich boy? No I ain’t seen him since awhile,” she said.

“Has Kev seen him?” Ian tried.

“Kev’s at work hon’ maybe you can go and ask him?” she says clearly sympathetic, “Did your boy run away?” she asked.

Ian shrugged, “I dunno.”

“Well I hope you find him. I’ll give Fiona a call to tell her I got her message,” V said and then Ian left her place.

Okay so maybe Mickey really did go home to get a change of clothes. In that case he should still be at home or something, so he made his way to the train station and hopped on a train getting off at the next stop. He finds himself on the doorstep of the Milkovich place. He’s a little afraid of who might open the door seeing as Mickey’s  _that_ afraid of his father. So he crosses his fingers that hopefully the one who opens the door isn’t Terry Milkovich.

“Ian?” It’s Mandy who pokes her head out and he literally heaves a sigh of relief. “What’s with the sigh?” she asks.

“Nothing, just tired,” he says shrugging it off.

“C’mon in,” Mandy says inviting him into the house, “I was just looking for someone to play the new COD: Ghost game with on Xbox with since no one’s home, I’m glad you showed up.”

“No one home?” Ian picked up on that.

“Yeah, dad left this morning. Mickey’s been missing since that day we had dinner so I’ve been playing Black Ops two on my own which I finished and then I went down to get Ghost,” Mandy explained as she started up the game, pushing off all the guns from the table, letting them clatter to the floor in a mess.

Ian took off his jacket, okay he owed Mandy at least this much since Mickey  _had_  been staying at his place since the dinner and he wasn’t actually missing…except now…but voicing that out…

“So why’d you come over?” Mandy asked handing him a console, “Are you looking for him too?” she asks.

“Sorta,” Ian answered watching the load up screen.

“Y’know between the two of us right, I just want to ask you…what are you and Mickey up to?” she wasn’t even blunt at all. Gods. “I mean yeah he stayed with you till I got back and all so…”

“We just hang out,” Ian told her as they scrolled through character profiles, “he came to my place saying he needed a place to go because of your father…and I figured you know…why not?” Ian tried to make it seem like it was nothing, like what he and Mickey had was just usual, casual, platonic friendship. “He helps out sometimes at the Gallagher place and he and Carl kinda exchange gun tips or something but yeah…”

“So you’re not…you know…” Mandy said hinting at it.

“Nope,” Ian answered without missing a beat as he finished customising his character. He knows how Mickey hasn’t told anyone in his family and he knows it’s not his right to go around telling them for him so he decides to just keep it all under wraps. Mickey would tell his sister when the time came.

“Pity,” Mandy said as she too finished customising her character and started a new game, “it would’ve been kinda cool to have your best friend and your brother dating.”

“Maybe you and Lip should get together,” Ian teased her as they started the game.

“Maybe,” Mandy echoed before they both fell into silence absorbed into the game’s introduction. 


	26. Chapter 26

It’s late by the time Ian leaves Mandy’s place. They’d reached the midpoint of chapter 2 in the game and over a dinner of boxed Chinese takeout fried rice, they discussed the new school term and all the possibilities.

“Guess I’ll call you again so we can finish the game if Mickey doesn’t come back,” Mandy said as she stood at the door talking to him, “no, y’know what screw that, I think I’ll call you back to game with me even if he does come back. I’d like to keep my high score thank you very much!” she said as she waved him off.

Ian took the train down to the Alibi Room later that night, he knew what time Kev closed up and he was still about an hour or so from it. He had really mixed feelings about heading to the Alibi Room because that was Frank’s favourite pub and to see him there…let’s just say that although Frank was okay with him being gay and all he wasn’t very okay with the way he looked. Even when Ian was younger he remembered his drunk father would always hit him first and Fiona would rush to his protection. As he grew up he learnt the reasoning behind why Frank hated him so much out of all the rest. It was because he looked and acted too much like Monica, their mother, his wife and Frank hated her because she had left him for another woman.

As he enters the bar, the bell tinkles signalling his arrival and he sees Kev look up from cleaning glasses, giving him a smile. Frank’s there too, seated at the counter on his goodness only knows how many-eth cup of beer or some other alcoholic beverage.

“Oh no, not you!” Frank mutters as Ian approaches the counter, “You know what they say about kids, you give them some spare change they come running to you for more like sick kittens wanting their fucking mother’s milk,” Frank blabbered.

“I’m not here for your money Frank,” Ian muttered as he signalled to Kev to come over to his side instead he wasn’t going to go any further into this den of lions if need be.

“Yeah right, all my kids ever want is my money like I’m some fucking deity who throws gold around!” Frank continued more to himself than to the company in the Alibi Room.

“Ah just ignore him, they all do,” Kev said as he came over to Ian’s side of the counter, “What can I do for you?” he asked, “Because there has to be something that I can do for you…if not you won’t be here…unless you want to drink beer,” Kev rambled on as he cocked his head to the side, “Never mind my ramblings it’s a little late for me, so tell me what’s it?”

“Um…I’m looking for Mickey…” Ian began, “I don’t know if he came in or not but. I’ve been searching all day all over the place. V said I should check with you when I could and I just came from Mandy’s…so…”

“Come to think of it, yeah, I think Mickey did come in but not in the morning no. He came like afternoon-ish?” Kev said as he exited from behind the counter chaperoning Ian around the place. They found Mickey slumped over at a table in the darkened corner of the bar next to the pool table. It appeared he had had too much to drink.

“I’ll leave you to it then?” Kev asked and Ian nodded as he slipped into the booth next to Mickey.

He tapped the raven-haired boy on the shoulder, calling him softly, “Hey Mickey. It’s me, Ian.”

Mickey responded with a grunt and Ian shook him just a little harder, “C’mon we gotta get you back. You can’t sleep here,” Ian said as he stroked a hand up and down the expanse of Mickey’s back, “Open your eyes now,” he said softly as Mickey raised his head from the table.

Mickey opens bleary eyes, blinking slowly as his vision focuses on the source of the gentle voice. “I..aa..nnn,” he mutters seeing the redhead watching him and he collapses into the other boy’s arms, “Ian…” he whispers burying his nose in the boy’s shoulder, breathing in the scent of him from his sweater. Home. He was home.

Ian gingerly lifted Mickey from him, the raven-haired boy struggling against his hold to stay pressed against him. Clearly in his drunkenness he completely forgot that they weren’t supposed to be all touchy feely in public. Glancing up and around the bar, Ian knows that Terry isn’t here. He might as well get Mickey out quickly before his father decided to pop out from somewhere.

“You can walk?” he asked as he slipped Mickey’s arm around his neck and held Mickey’s body close with an arm around his waist. Reaching out he took Mickey’s backpack and slung it on his back as he steadied the raven.

“Mmm…yeah…walk…” Mickey slurred as he dipped his head to his shoulder nuzzling him, “Iannnn…home…” he whined.

“Yes I’m taking you home,” Ian said a smile on his lips as restricted as Mickey’s actions were supposed to be when they weren’t at the Gallagher house, Ian had to say Mickey was breaking all the violations here going all needy on him.

“Kay…” Mickey answered, his answer muffled against his shoulder.

“Mickey you can’t walk like that,” Ian half giggled as he struggled to hold Mickey up properly.

“Yea I can,” Mickey answered but obediently turned to face the floor as Ian led Mickey out of the Alibi Room.

“Never knew a better mix of Jack Daniels and Orange Juice if I seen one before,” Frank muttered watching as his redhead son led the Milkovich boy out of the bar.  

It’s a struggle to get home without Mickey tripping and possibly toppling over but Ian manages it. He’s strong enough and he liked to think that the J-ROTC training had helped. One thing he’s grateful for is that their little trek home had gotten him warmed up enough to be able to survive the night without the house’s heating system. And for another he knows that he’s not going to freeze with Mickey in his bed next to him.

Setting Mickey down in bed, he begins to undress him and the raven-haired boy responds to his touch leaning into his hand as Ian tries to get Mickey’s jeans off. Okay so maybe undressing him hadn’t been a good idea to begin with from the start and but surely sleeping in jeans would be a more uncomfortable option right? Mickey reaches to grab his wrist and brings it to the obvious bulge in the front of his boxers.

“Touch…” he whispers, eyes still closed. Ian doesn’t know if he’s asleep or what. He doesn’t want to take advantage of Mickey like this. But damn him if he’s not fucking turned on. Glancing around the room and finding no movement from both Carl and Liam’s beds, Ian gingerly slips his hand over Mickey’s erection cupping it and earning a languid sigh from Mickey.

“Quiet now,” Ian whispers in Mickey’s ear as he lets his hand rub against the bulge feeling the dampness of Mickey’s seed soiling his boxers as he continued his ministrations. Drunken Mickey was fun to tease especially with the way he loved to fucking  _arch_  up off the bed like that. He just looked so goddamn fuckable and it drove Ian wild.

Rendering himself naked he gets in bed, pulling the blanket over himself as he settles between Mickey’s legs, his lips kissing and nipping Mickey’s sensitive thighs. He feels Mickey’s fingers searching for him and he teasingly takes them into his mouth, sucking on the digits. Mickey’s hips jerk up to him in response, his rigid cock, brushing against his cheek. Eager fuck, Ian thought with a grin as he let go of Mickey’s fingers now. He worshiped the length of Mickey’s cock, closing his eyes as he rubbed his face against it’s thick, hard, warmth like a cat.

Mickey grips Ian’s head with both hands rather feebly, “Don’t tease…” he half groans. Ian’s hands grips his wrists in reply holding his hands down as he feels a warmth enveloping the head of his cock. He shudders, stomach clenching in anticipation for the tightness of Ian’s throat. He knows he can’t make too much noise because Ian instructed him against it. So he tries to keep to just soft gasps and pants.

He slips his fingers into Mickey’s interlacing them and holding them tight as he moves his head up and down now taking Mickey’s cock in and out of his mouth as he blows him. Ian knows just how Mickey likes it when he hollows out his cheeks and sucks hard on his length, making those obscene noises with his mouth. Mickey eagerly thrusts his hips up forcing Ian to take more as he grips his hands tight, pulling Ian in. His mouth is so full of Mickey’s cock and cum and saliva and he chokes just a little gagging. Mickey immediately lets him up at that. Ian wipes his mouth dry as he flips the blanket off, welcoming the cool blast of wintry air that greets him. Mickey’s lying on his back, staring up at him, his chest heaving, lips parted clearly begging for release and Ian knows just what to do.

He climbs atop Mickey, straddling him as he grabs Mickey’s slick cock and guides it into his hole, Mickey moans, eyes falling shut as his hands burn like brands, moving across Ian’s chest. Ian shudders and sighs as he feel’s Mickey’s cock filling him up. When he’s fully seated Ian rolls his hips feeling the burning push and pull of Mickey’s length inside him. Ian takes Mickey’s hands from his chest and guide them to his hips as he leans in to the raven, “Fuck me,” he whispers to Mickey.

And Mickey does, his hands dipping down the crack of Ian’s arse, smoothing up over the curve of his buttocks as he lifts Ian, fucking him. Ian pants and whines against his neck, the redhead rocking back against him in an earnest effort to fuck. Mickey shifts his hands to grip Ian’s waist, guiding Ian to ride him, spurring him on as he whispers his name.

Fiona had just finished folding the clothes tonight and as she did her rounds that night, she put each of her sibling’s pile of clothes in their room. When she came to the boys room, she found Ian and Mickey nestled down in blankets in Ian’s bed amidst a mess of clothes strewn about it. There was the faint smell of alcohol lingering and Fiona can only guess that Ian had found Mickey at some point in time and it had involved alcohol. They looked so sweet together like that, Ian being the big spoon and cuddling with Mickey, who knew that boorish kid was the bottom? She shook her head, whatever the case it didn’t matter as long as they were happy, she would be happy for them. Besides Mickey was a really nice boy.

* * *

Mickey wakes up the next morning his head is pounding and heavy like fuck. He opens his eyes just tiny slits and he realizes that he’s in Ian’s room. How did he even make it here? As he gets his senses back he feels warmth enveloping him and an arm draped over him, holding his hand. Ian. Last night comes back to him in fragments and he lies there trying hard and piecing the fragments together.

Slowly he pulls himself up from the bed, the covers falling from him and the blast of wintry cold hitting him. He hisses, drawing breath through his teeth. His head spins slightly as he bends to pick up his discarded boxers. Behind him Ian stirs, stretching in bed, hands above his head like a cat stretching in the grass under summer sun.

“You’re up,” Ian mutters as he takes the blanket and burrows down in it.

“What happened to the heating system?” Mickey asked as he stands pulling on his jeans.

“Fiona forgot to hand in the bill,” Ian says as he watches Mickey dressing.

“Are you leaving already?” he asks worry laced in his voice.

Mickey shakes his head and settles down on the bed again, “Ain’t leaving you yet,” he said.

“Yet?” Ian asked shifting closer so that he could snuggle against Mickey’s leg, “What happened?” he asked, looking at Mickey, “Yesterday I woke up and you were gone. Carl said he saw you in the morning and that was it,” Ian said, “then I spent the rest of the day running around the town looking for you. I went over to your place-”

“You did what?” Mickey asked his voice rising.

Ian was a little taken aback, “I…went over to your place…I wanted to look for you. But you weren’t there.”

“Mandy? Did Mandy get the door for you or…”

Ian smiled seeing the worry evident in the raven’s dark eyes, “Mandy opened the door, she said that there was no one home. Then she invited me in to play COD: Ghosts,” he explained.

“Shit…okay…” Mickey said tongue flicking out to wet his lips, Ian knew that meant that he was nervous.

“Why’d you leave and then end up drunk at the bar?” Ian asked reaching his hand out from the warm blanket cocoon to rub against Mickey’s leg.

“I was taking out the trash yesterday…and he showed up…” Mickey said shaking his head, pursing his lips. “He fucking showed up.”

“Your father?” Ian asked and Mickey nodded, “What did he say?”

Mickey chewed on his lower lip, “He told me to come home and to stop staying at this house, said he’d stay sober or some shit if I went back…” Mickey shook his head, “It’s not true. He can’t stay away from it just like Frank. I think he knows…” Mickey said his voice soft.

Ian looked at him; “He didn’t say anything about us did he?” Ian asked.

“N-No but he knows. I just have a feeling that he knows but he’s not letting on. He’s playing me Ian…seeing if I’ll make the right decision or something before he decides to fucking barge in,” Mickey said.

Ian didn’t miss the falter in Mickey’s voice he sat and pulled his lover into a hug, “How about this, you go back, let your father know you’re listening to him,” Ian said hands on Mickey’s shoulders, “he’ll back the fuck off once he knows you’re staying there and nothing’s happening.”

“I can’t…if I stay there…what about you?” Mickey asks, looking at him, “I can’t fucking leave you alone.”

Ian smiled leaning his forehead to Mickey’s, “Hey I won’t be alone,” he whispered, his hand moving to the dog tags resting against his skin, “I’ve got this, I’ve got you.”

Mickey felt like fucking crying but he blinked back the goddamn tears, “You’re such a fucking ass carrot top,” he whispered, affection behind those words and then kisses Ian, “promise me you’ll visit?”

Ian nods, “Okay I’ll visit you,” he assures Mickey, caressing the raven’s cheek lovingly.

* * *

When they get off the train at Mickey’s stop, Ian walks Mickey back home from the station and they stop at the house across the street from Mickey’s.

Mickey wants to hug the redhead so bad but he knows he can’t. Terry is probably watching him from the house. So he just hefts his backpack over his shoulder, words failing him as he looks to his feet.

“You gotta stay strong Mick, we’ll get through this and we’ll be back on campus in no time,” Ian assures him.

“Wish we’d put in the form for staying back. Anywhere is better than this fucked up hell hole,” Mickey mutters, looking up to Ian. “Well,” he said heaving a sigh as he tried to conjure up a smile despite the his heavy heart in his chest, “I’ll see you when I see you I guess?”

“You’re not under house arrest fuck face, I’ll come visit as soon as I can,” Ian said giving him a smile.

“Aight,” Mickey said turning on his heel, “see you,” he said giving a little wave as he turned his back to Ian. Looking up to his house that loomed up on the other side of the street, he felt a sense of dread filling him. If this was home, why did it not feel so? Why did it feel like a fucking prison? He turned back once, looking over his shoulder to see Ian’s retreating back. It was just as well that the redhead didn’t linger too long, but it hurt nonetheless that Ian was gone already. As he neared the house, Mickey saw the curtain in the lower window flit and he rolled his eyes, he fucking  _knew it_  Terry had been fucking watching. Thank his common sense for already anticipating that sneaky old fucker’s moves.

He stormed up the steps and opened the door, banging it shut in distaste as he entered. Terry’s there waiting for him, arms crossed over his chest, a scowl on his battered, leathery face, “Where you been?” he asked.

“I got drunk. Spent the night at my friend’s,” Mickey said shifting his weight from one foot to another under his father’s scrutiny.

“Who’s your friend? That one out there?” he asked.

“Yeah, Frank’s kid,” Mickey mutters and then he turns and heads up to his room, banging that door shut too and locking it. He doesn’t want to be disturbed at all, not now, not ever, not until Ian comes over. He changes out of his clothes, falls into bed with his phone and earplugs and setting some emo shit song on repeat he closes his eyes, dreaming of better days where him and Ian could be together without his father’s homophobic grip. 


	27. Chapter 27

In the days that came, Mickey’s only lifeline was his phone as he texted Ian daily. When they did have calls it was usually late at night when Ian was in bed, their bed, their old bed. Mickey didn’t blame Ian for being busy, he knew Ian’s duty was firstly to his family. Which is why he let Ian do what he had to do to help Fiona who was at the moment having to juggle large company gala dinners and meetings. And from the last call they had the other day, Ian had to help Debbie out with her project, making a wooden replica house for art class. Ian had invited him over but Mickey refused, because Terry was keeping a close watch on him.

And by close it was  _really_ close. It went to the extent that Terry actually went back to cooking his black pepper steaks. Mickey always told him to just leave the food outside his door and he would eat it and then put the used plates back outside. When Terry did drop by his door asking what he was doing, he would tell him he was gaming on the com. Lies, but his father didn’t have fucking x-ray vision to tell him that.

Sometimes Mandy would drop by asking if he wanted to play the Xbox with her but he refused. Monday passed with the news that Ian had gone to drop off the bill that Fiona had forgotten to hand in, thus the cold house the day before…by midweek Ian tells him that the heating system is back on and also he received an apology by voice message since he had been sleeping.

“Hey Mickey,” the voice recording of Ian said, “I know I haven’t been over to see you…I want to trust me on that…but it’s been hell over here lately. With Fiona and her full time job and all and me having to help out the kids. I thought I should get a job too anyway; help them save money for a rainy day, which as it goes in this household is pouring every time it comes to money. And…I didn’t really feel like sitting around the house after I finished up the chores…plus…it reminded me too much of you…I miss you, you know?” there was a pause there, “I’m really sorry…I hope I can make it up to you soon.”

“Soon my ass,” Mickey growled as he got in bed that Friday night. Ian still hadn’t come to see him, that bloody fucker. Terry wasn’t home this morning so he snuck out of the room to play Ghosts with Mandy on the Xbox, “You can use Ian’s account to multiplay, I’m sure he won’t mind,” she had said.

It seemed everything would do well to remind him of Ian.

He was still awake at one in the morning, his mind wandering to thoughts, memories of the times he’d spent with Ian.

_‘Tack, tack, tack’_

The sound of rocks clattering against something draws him back to the present moment. It takes Mickey awhile to realize that there are rocks that are being thrown at his window thus the sound. Annoyed, he gets out of bed and goes over to the window, pulling it up he sees the redhead standing down in the street waving at him. His heart all but leaps, his previous annoyance forgotten all together.

“What are you doing here?” Mickey asks his whisper carrying across the silent wintry night and down to Ian.

“I told you I’d make it up to you,” Ian said.

“What this is it? You tossing fucking rocks at my window to wake me up?” Mickey scowls in pretence.

“Oh come on you weren’t sleeping,” Ian told him as he walked into the back garden.

“How would you know huh?” he asks resting on the windowsill as he talks to Ian.

“Because I haven’t been able to sleep much since you fucking left, fuck face,” Ian admits.

Mickey chuckles, “Fine. You win I wasn’t sleeping…” he muttered. It seemed like they both couldn’t do with sleeping without the other.

“So…” Ian began a sneaky grin forming.

“Please do not say something stupid,” Mickey warns knowing this would call for a typical Romeo and Juliet type of scene.

“Rapunzel oh dear beautiful, fucking Rapunzel, let your weave down,” Ian said.

Mickey laughed, “Fuck you,” he muttered but it wasn’t a scolding, it was a damn endearment.

“Sure, before we go and see the sunrise,” Ian said grinning.

“What the fuck? No,” Mickey hissed, “no fucking way. If my dad found out, he will kill me!”

“Are you fucking grounded?” Ian asked.

“No.”

“Then get your ass down here and come with me to watch the sun fucking rise!” Ian said.

“If he found out that you and I…” Mickey protested.

“He doesn’t have to know Mick, c’mon. You want to see me right? I can’t make it here in the day or anything with the job and all. And I can’t come over until your father decides to leave or something so now’s the only time we’ve got,” Ian said as he held out his arms, “C’mon, jump and I’ll catch you.”

“No fucking way,” Mickey said shaking his head as he disappeared from the window, going to change into something that would keep him warm. Fuck it all, he wanted to meet Ian badly and if this was all he could do then he would do it. “Mick?” Ian calls from the open window and he returns to it.

“I’ll climb down okay, from Mandy’s room, wait for me,” he tells Ian and then he closes the window.

Silently he sneaks across the hallway to Mandy’s room. The whole house is quiet and Mickey knows that Terry had probably fallen asleep on the couch again. Whether he was drunk or not…that was another matter. Creeping into Mandy’s room he sees his sister lying in bed, still. Fast asleep. He picks his away across her room to the window, unlocking it he pushes it up, Ian’s waiting downstairs at the foot of the tree outside his sister’s window. Quietly as possible, he ducks out of the window, sitting on the branch of the tree, he silently slides the window back down and then he nimbly climbs down the tree to meet Ian.

“Let’s go,” Ian said slipping his hand into his, fingers intertwining.

* * *

Mandy stayed in her bed for awhile, making sure that Mickey wasn’t going to come back in, she tiptoes to the window, leaning against it she sees her brother climbing down the tree to meet Ian.

“Busted,” she whispered grinning as she saw Ian and Mickey holding hands and then running off into the night. This was her secret to keep now. Ian and Mickey sneaking out in the middle of the night to god knows where. Who knew they were actually dating? Of course she wasn’t going to ask them straight out, she knew better than to do that, if they wanted they could tell her, or not, she didn’t really care or mind for that matter. If they were happy then so be it.

* * *

Mickey liked the feel of Ian’s hand in his; he missed it to tell the truth, as they walked to the only café that would be open at this time, he let his thumb stroke back and forth over Ian’s hand. They ordered their drinks and then left the café. Ian leading him towards the park, “Why the sunrise?” Mickey asked as they settled down on the blanket that Ian laid out on the side of this little rise, like a hill over the town.

“Because it’s nice…and romantic,” Ian added with a little grin patting the space beside him for Mickey to join.

“You’re a fucking hopeless romantic,” Mickey scolded as he sat down next to Ian.

“You’re no better fuck face,” Ian muttered, taking a sip of his frothy hot chocolate.

Mickey drank too, the warm chocolaty liquid coursing through his body and instantly warming him up. “I hope we don’t fucking freeze,” he muttered and then he caught Ian staring at him. “What the fuck you staring at?” he asked as Ian’s green eyes studied him.

“You. Because you’re mine and I like to look at you,” Ian said with a naughty little grin.  

“Say that again and I’ll rip your tongue out,” Mickey said feeling his cheeks heat, gods Ian could be mushy as fuck.

Ian shifted to move close to Mickey, “Also because you have cream over here,” Ian whispers and leans in to kiss him and then lick that blob of cream off.

Mickey kisses him back, “That was a fucking excuse,” he whispered against Ian’s lips, smiling.

“You taste like chocolate,” Ian said resting his head on Mickey’s shoulder.

“No shit,” Mickey teased leaning against Ian’s head, “I think I’ve come to like hot chocolate ever since you left it out on the windowsill.”

Ian giggled, sipping the hot chocolate, “Hot chocolate’s our thing,” Ian said, “so don’t go drinking it without me,” he joked.

“What if I feel like drinking it and you’re not around?” Mickey asked.

“Then text me and tell me you’re having it so I can make one for myself too,” Ian told him, “that way every time I drink a cup I know you’re having one too.”

Mickey chuckled, nudging Ian off his shoulder as he settled for lying down, “’Fraid I don’t know how to make hot chocolate like you do.

“Then I should probably teach you, or send you the recipe or something,” Ian said as he settled down next to Mickey, lying close to him.

They lay there in comfortable silence, staring at the night sky, and soon enough Ian felt sleepy and he nuzzled close to Mickey. “Ay, you said we were watching the sunrise,” Mickey muttered intercepting Ian into his arms nonetheless.

“It’s not for another two hours or so,” Ian muttered.

“You must be tired huh?” Mickey said in reply, his fingers carding through Ian’s hair. “Working and then coming over at night, stupid idiot.”

“I had to see you,” Ian mumbled.

“Aight now go to sleep carrot top,” Mickey told him, “I’ll wake you when the sun is about to rise.”

* * *

In the end they never did catch the sunrise because Mickey fell asleep too with Ian. By the time they did wake up the park was full of morning joggers, strollers and all sorts of activity. Ian laughed a little as he woke Mickey up, “Rise and shine, we missed the sunrise,” Ian informed.

“Shit…” Mickey muttered, groggy and sleepy, “My bad, I fell asleep…”

“S’okay. I just wanted to spend time with you anyway,” Ian said with a smile.

Mickey smiled back at him, “We should probably go,” he said, not wanting to anger the stupid old man back home or anything.

“Yeah,” Ian said and though he didn’t really want to he knew that if Mickey didn’t get back soon Terry would start to suspect something. So they went their separate ways from the park after a parting hug and a promise to text and call.

As Mickey gets in later that morning, Terry’s there waiting for him, “Where’d you go huh?” he asks.

“Jogging…” Mickey muttered rolling his eyes.

“Right, where did you go?” Terry pressed.

“I went to the fucking club okay? You can’t expect me to stay in my room the whole fucking week with no entertainment other than my com and fucking porn right? I need something that I can feel,” Mickey growled, all lies but the anger was real.

“You locked yourself up in there it’s not my fault you don’t get your fair share of flesh,” Terry answered.

“Whatever, I’m fucking tired, I’ll be in my room with porn if you need me,” Mickey said rolling his eyes and going up to his room.

* * *

When Mandy does decide to wake up the house is silent. She lies in bed, remembering the scene that she’d seen last night. Ian and Mickey running off. She reaches to grab her phone, checking the time. It’s noon and rightly so, her stomach growls. Pulling on her jacket, she rolls out of bed going to freshen up before she heads out of her room. Across the landing, Mickey’s door is closed he’s either back or the room is empty. Mandy decides to find that out later after she’s had her lunch.

Journeying into the kitchen, she rummages around. Clearly Terry was not at home seeing as he wasn’t occupying the couch or whipping up food for them. They’re out of microwaveable lunches Mandy finds out as she continues her search for something to eat. Finally she settles for a pack of Mac n Cheese. As she’s heating it in the microwave, there’s a sudden itch to play COD again.

Not alone of course, multiplayer mode was way better especially if you were the one winning more than your partner. A plan forms in her mind as last night’s scene comes into mind again. She takes her Mac n Cheese up to her room stopping by Mickey’s room on the way.

“Hey fuck face, you in?” she asks banging on the door with her foot as she digs into her food standing outside his door.

“What the fuck now skank?” Mickey asks as he opens the door, he’s been sleeping.

“Nothing, just wanted to check if you were in. We’re out of lunch. Terry’s gone by the way,” Mandy says, “oh and I was thinking of playing COD later.”

“I’m not interested in playing,” Mickey tells her bluntly.

Mandy shrugged, “Who said I was going to ask you fuck face,” she said turning around, “I’m calling Ian over,” she said, walking deliberately slowly to her room.

“What, that fucking carrot top gonna be co-op with you?” Mickey asked, “He’s going to get his ass handed to him.”

“Y’can watch if you want,” Mandy muttered and then entered her room, shutting the door with her foot. Oh she wanted to see just how this played out. Picking up her phone she calls Ian over for the co-op game. As she had expected he agreed immediately, if only to see Mickey, she thought with a little smile, excited at the fact that she got to play the role of Cupid.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for not updating in a while I’ve been busy with school ugh and I’ve still got a problem with 12837918723 prompts a day and no time to write at all. Anyway, just a heads up for all of you Shameless fans, in general - I’ve organised a Shameless Secret Santa! Find out more about it[here](http://shamelesssecretsanta.tumblr.com/post/102273608260/in-the-spirit-of-giving-and-all-those-things-that)! I do hope that you’ll join up and also spread the word about the event it would mean a lot to me if I got a successful run for the event in it’s very first run! **


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Sorry to people who have been reading this fic, I know I haven’t been faithfully updating it these past few weeks. I’ve been pretty busy in school. But I’m glad to say that I’m already almost half way through the second semester of my second year. Hurrah for me. On another note, I’ll try my best to keep updating my fics.**

* * *

Mandy’s just about finished with lunch in her room when there was a knock on the front door. Eager little Ian, she thought shaking her head.

“Fuck face get the door!” she shouts to Mickey as she gives him an excuse, “I gotta change up first!”

Mickey  _tries_  not to rush to the door to open it but it’s hard not to especially if you knew that your lover was on the other side. He smiled seeing Ian standing at the doorstep Ian was clearly surprised, “ I wasn’t expecting you,” the redhead said as he entered and only behind closed doors enveloped him in a hug.

“Neither was I,” Mickey answered, pulling away, “Mandy said you’re here to co-op with her on Ghosts.”

Ian nodded then grinned, “My true intentions lie elsewhere,” he teased, taking off his coat and hanging it on the rack as they moved to the sitting room.

Mandy came down just then, all dressed up like and shit. He couldn’t be bothered with her. “I’m gonna get a drink. What d’you want Ian?” he asked.

“Coke,” Ian said watching as Mickey left.

Mandy didn’t miss the lingering look that Ian gave her brother before he settled down in the centre of the three-seater couch. Smart move, she thought as she powered up the Xbox, “Your father’s not home?” Ian asked.

“Nope,” Mandy said settling down on Ian’s left just as Mickey came back with drinks, setting them down on the table as he took his seat on Ian’s right.

“That fucked up old bag probably left in the morning,” Mickey muttered as he took a swig from his canned drink, propping his feet up on the table.

As Mandy started up the game, she noticed just how close Ian sits to Mickey. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t giving the redhead enough space. Of course she didn’t say anything, focusing on her game as the redhead lost his part of the mission.

“Aight that’s it I can’t keep seeing you dying and loosing missions,” Mickey bursts and then snatches the control away from Ian.

Mandy wanted to laugh.

Mickey sure didn’t like seeing Ian loose to her. Ah, what a protective lover. “Ian didn’t seem to mind me getting a higher score,” Mandy retorted as they waited for the game to reload the previous mission.

“He lets you take advantage of him,” Mickey retorted, “I warn you carrot top, one day that skank will run you over with a tank.”

Still so protective Mandy thought and she could tell Mickey was trying to act as though he didn’t quite care about Ian but it was useless. The way they sat so close to each other, feet propped up on the table, Ian settled in next to him with a can of Coke watching him play. Mandy was positively sure that were she to leave the room, Ian would have laid his head on Mickey’s shoulder.

So she left later on at the next save point in the game, “I need a drink,” she said as she announced her leave, putting the game on pause as she went to the kitchen.

The moment Mandy is gone Mickey turns to Ian, “I think she knows,” he whispered, glancing at Mandy’s retreating figure.

“If she does she seems to be completely fine with it,” Ian said following Mickey’s gaze.

“What if she’s trapping me huh? What if she tells on me?” Mickey hisses, “I know she’s capable of that.”

“Shh, shh, it’s okay, calm down. I know Mandy, I doubt she will,” Ian said remembering that conversation with her from the other day.

“How are you so sure?” Mickey asked.

Ian leaned in to kiss him softly on the lips, “Because she just left to give us a moment,” Ian whispered into his lips.

“How’d you know?” Mickey asked looking into green eyes.

“We’re probably at the most important part of the game, she already has a can of Sprite on the table, untouched and she still needs a drink?” Ian asked rhetorically.

“Sometimes you’re too fucking smart for your own good,” Mickey muttered kissing Ian back, swiping his tongue into the redhead’s mouth as his hand slipped to rest against the column of Ian’s neck, “Fuck…” he whispered as he pulled away breathless, Ian’s lips swollen, his cheeks red, “I want you…”

There was a  _very apparent_  slam of the fridge door at that moment and Ian grinned, “Not now.”

“I’ve got a plan…just follow me okay?” Mickey said licking his lips and stealing a final kiss before he went back to ‘waiting’ for Mandy’s return.

“I didn’t know what to get,” Mandy said as she came back empty handed, starting the game.

“I’m gonna take a piss,” Mickey said and then left. Ian stared after him  _that_ was his fucking cue? Really?

He settles back to play on co-op with Mandy for what he deems to be about two minutes before he apologizes, “Sorry, nature calls,” he said and then left Mandy sitting there. If he’d only looked back he would have seen her smirking to herself, shaking her head at them.

“Fuuuck,” Mickey groans arching back his head hitting against the mirror as Ian pounds into his arse. The pain doesn’t even last a moment with all his nerve endings alight with pleasure stemming from Ian’s cock.

They’re fucking in the goddamn bathroom in the kitchen and Ian’s got him propped up on the sink as he thrusts into him. Mickey has just about lost it in caring that Mandy might hear him. “You gotta be silent you fucking idiot,” Ian whispers against Mickey’s jaw as he reaches to grab Mickey’s thighs and wrap them around his waist all so that he can be buried balls deep in Mickey’s tight ass.

“C-Can’t…y-you’re so fucking good…ahhh!!” Mickey cries as his fingers dig into Ian’s shoulders, legs tightening around Ian’s waist as the redhead’s cock brushes against a sensitive spot inside him. It’s like nothing he’s felt before. “T-There…Ian…” he breathes, “fuck me there again!” he gasps as Ian’s strong arms hold him.

“Where?” Ian asks, already knowing, “Here?” he growls teasingly pulling out and then thrusting back in full force at Mickey’s sensitive spot.

“Ahhhnnnmmggh!” Mickey groans, loudly and Ian clamps a hand over his mouth, shutting him up as he makes sure to angle his thrusts there as he fucks Mickey to completion.

They dress quickly after that, Mickey leaning in and kissing Ian once more before he leaves the bathroom first. He goes back into the living room to sit with Mandy who’s just casually modding her character.

“Back,” Mickey muttered as he takes up the controls.

Mandy doesn’t have to look twice to know. She smirks. She would trade anything for a relationship like theirs loving and all minus the fact that Mickey had to hide from their father. She notices Ian coming to join them a while later. As Ian settles between the Milkovichs he lets his head dip to Mickey’s shoulder watching as Mickey takes over his co-op game, playing for him now as he defeats Mandy once again, beating her score.

Mickey wanted to nudge Ian off but as he turns he catches Mandy’s eye in the process over Ian’s head, for a split second he held his sister’s gaze and then she looked away treating it like she hadn’t seen it. Mickey’s surprised for a while but then he just goes back to gaming letting Ian remain where he was.

Mandy decides not to say anything at all, she’s never seen Mickey truly happier before and somewhere in her dark heart…she probably had a soft spot for the little rascal. 

* * *

Soon enough the festivities of Christmas comes along and the Gallaghers were throwing a party. With Terry out of the picture since, disappearing to god only knows where for however long, Mickey and Mandy were invited to the Gallaghers party as well. It had started out all really nicely with dinner sitting around the table with all the siblings and Kev and V present as well. And then as the night drew on, things got more R-rated as the booze and a small amount of ‘medical marijuana’ courtesy of V was brought out.

As it happened after all the Gallagher parties, people fell asleep in their spaces still holding onto cups full of drink. Ian and Mickey had taken to the makeshift bed in the space under the stairs. Behind the closed curtains, they lay there, not talking, just…exploring each other’s bodies in the dim light of the overhead bulb.

Mickey traced his fingers over Ian’s feeling callused skin beneath his own, his fingers tracing through the dips between Ian’s hands, ghosting over his palm. Ian giggled and shifted closer to press against his side, their heads laid next to each other on the pillow, bodies just as close.

“Y’know I still haven’t given you your present yet,” Mickey said as he let his fingers trail down Ian’s arm, loving the feel of warm smooth skin beneath his fingertips.

“S’long as I got you…s’okay, you’re my present,” Ian muttered already half drunk and awkwardly turned and kissed him on his cheek.

“No, but I got you something special, well us…” Mickey corrected as he stopped in his exploration of Ian’s arm, pulling out a little wooden box from his jean pocket. He held it up to the bulb and Ian turned on his side, looking to him.

“You didn’t…” Ian began as he bit his lower lip.

Mickey handed him the box, “Open it, you’ll see.”

“I’m scared,” Ian muttered as he held the wooden box in hand

“Just open it. It won’t hurt,” Mickey said eager to see Ian’s reaction really.

“Okay.”

Gingerly Ian opened the little wooden box and gasped at what he saw inside.

“Surprise,” Mickey said chuckling as he watched Ian taking out one of the wire rings.

“You made these?” Ian asked, taking one of the rings out. It was silver and small and delicate, made of wire.

“Yeah, I had to fucking scour the net for a design,” Mickey explained.

“Infinity,” Ian whispered as he held the wire ring up to the bulb.

“Us,” Mickey whispered back taking the ring from Ian, “can I?” he asked taking Ian’s hand.

“This isn’t a proposal is it?” Ian giggled as he let Mickey take his hand.

Mickey shrugged, “Dunno maybe?”

Ian shook his head leaning in to nuzzle Mickey affectionately before kissing him again, “You’re incorrigible.”

Mickey slipped the promise ring onto Ian’s finger, smiling at the way it fit snugly against the redhead’s pale skin. “I wanna put yours on for you,” Ian said taking his hand and the other ring.

“Fair enough,” Mickey said watching as Ian slipped the other matching infinity design wire promise ring onto his finger. Ian then held his hand, weaving their fingers together, pressing a kiss to the back of his hand he whispered loud enough for Mickey to hear it, “Mickey and Ian Gallagher – Milkovich, best thing I’ve ever heard.”

Mickey grinned, “Best thing that ever happened to me.” 

**Author's Note:**

> This is the very first chapter of my very first Gallavich fic ever. The fic gets waaaaayyy out of hand down the road. Do leave me a comment if you've enjoyed it and you can head over to my tumblr, link in my profile, to favorite it! Thanks in advance for reading!


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